A Rose By Any Other Name Would Still Be The Same
by Arsonist Phoenix
Summary: CharmedHP crossover, mostly HP, a little Charmed mixed in. (oh, and I need a little help on ch 1, feel free to make suggestions) Enjoy! HPOC SB? HGRW GW? (Book 2 of 3)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
A girl walked in to the Leaky Cauldron, looking around.  
  
"Can I help you?" asked the innkeeper.  
  
"Yes, I was wondering if I could get a room."  
  
"O' Course."  
  
"Hello, sir" she said, cautiously  
  
"Hello Miss, lovely day isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose."  
  
"Do I know you? You seem awfully familiar."  
  
"I don't know, sir, but I am to meet a Professor Something- Or- Other here. He's a Headmaster of a School."  
  
"I am he."  
  
She looked at him a moment, wondering whether to ask for ID or not, finally she decided it was all right, and nodded to herself.  
  
"I am supposed to give you this."  
  
She handed him a letter. He took it, examined it, then read it, making noises as he did so.  
  
"Come with me, hold on a moment, Tom."  
  
The innkeeper nodded, and they went in to a private parlor. Dumbledore looked at her.  
  
"Finite Incantatum."  
  
She grew a couple inches taller, her nose got smaller, her hair turned red, she thinned out, and her hair was no longer flat and stringy, but thick, and curly at the bottom. She looked at herself.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
"What is the very first thing you can remember?" Dumbledore asked her.  
  
She sighed, closed her eyes, and thought back as far as she could. Right away she saw a short figure over her. It was a man, who greatly resembled a rat. Then that image disappeared and a new one of a red- headed woman, and a man with black hair and hazel eyes, playing with her and another baby. She opened her eyes.  
  
"I saw a red haired woman and a black haired man. Who are they?"  
  
He held out a picture to her. She looked at it.  
  
"Are they the people you saw?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I see them in my dreams every night, just after I see terror, destruction, chaos, mayhem.... Hell."  
  
"You're a Seer?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"I guess, if you're talking about someone who gets premonitions and stuff. It seems a bit blocked, though."  
  
"There's a reason for that. Lord Voldemort put a spell over you that made you look like the people you lived with, causing you to act as though a Muggle would, no strange occurrences, etc."  
  
"So then, if I'm not who I thought I was, then, who am I?"  
  
"You, are Faerie Rose Potter. Sister to Harry Potter."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Dumbledore smiled gently, and explained everything to her, from her kidnap to her parent's death to Harry's adventures during school. Tom came in and showed Rose to her room. The next morning, there was a strict- looking woman standing at the foot of her bed.  
  
"Whatever it is I didn't do it."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I thought you were here to arrest me or something."  
  
"No, did you do something?"  
  
"No ma'am, not recently."  
  
"Well, I'm Professor McGonagall. I will help you buy your things for school."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The woman left the room, muttering something about a man named James. Rose opened her drawer to see all of her clothes, she got dressed and walked out of her door, running right into two boys, one landing face down on top of her, and the other sitting on them.  
  
"Ow! Can you PLEASE get off of me!" said Rose.  
  
The one on top got up, and the guy who was on top of her looked at her, and blushed, getting up himself, then helping her up.  
  
"Sorry, I'm Ron."  
  
"'S okay. I'm Rose."  
  
The guy who was on the very top, looked down at her.  
  
"Have we met?" he asked.  
  
"I don't think so. I'm Rose."  
  
"I'm Harry Potter."  
  
"Dude! I'm your sister! This guy with a white beard, he said we were related. He said his name was. er. Professor. Professor. Dupapple? No, that's not it."  
  
"Dumbledore?"  
  
"That's it!"  
  
Ron came back with several other red heads, and they all went down to breakfast. Professor McGonagall was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting.  
  
"Oh, well I see you've found an escort, Molly you don't mind do you?" asked McGonagall.  
  
"No, of course not!" answered the red headed woman.  
  
McGonagall handed Rose a heavy pouch, then Disapperated, Rose gasped. They walked down the stairs and they all sat together, eating everyone ate and talked, Rose didn't talk much.  
  
"Don't you talk?" asked the one they called Charlie.  
  
"Maybe she's too good to talk to us," said another brother they called Bill.  
  
"No I'm not. No one's too good to talk to anyone else."  
  
"You're from America aren't you? We can tell, even if the accent didn't give it away. Do you have a name, or shall I just call you.. 'Her Royal Highness, Queen of the Universe'?"  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"I like that, but you could add my name in there. It's Rose."  
  
"What's your full name?"  
  
"No, my full name is Faerie Rose Potter."  
  
"You have a hot temper?" asked one of the twins.  
  
"If you make me mad, yes."  
  
They laughed  
  
"You'd get along perfectly with Ron, here," said the other twin.  
  
Ron blushed.  
  
After that, they all went to get their supplies. Rose got dark blue dress robes, and a black cat, in which she named Lucky. Soon after they returned to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner Rose told Hermione (who was Rose's new best friend) that she had a crush on Ron and they talked about it all night long. Once they had gotten on the train to Hogwarts they had started to talk. Harry asked her why she had been so happy to leave the Muggles.  
  
"They say they love me, but they treat me horribly."  
  
"I understand how you feel, but the Dursley's hate me that's why they treat me the same way," Harry said.  
  
"What's America like?" asked Hermione.  
  
"It's okay, I guess. Land of the free and home of the brave. I've got a riddle about Alabama, where I'm from, okay, ready? What building in Alabama has the most stories?"  
  
"I don't know I've never been there," said Harry.  
  
"Neither have I," said Hermione.  
  
"What's Alabama?" asked Ron.  
  
"It's a state in the U.S.," Rose replied, "Anyway the answer is a library."  
  
"That's stupid," said an unfamiliar voice. They all turned around.  
  
"I know," Rose said, "and who are you?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy, and why is a beautiful witch like you hanging out with filth like them?"  
  
"Okay um.. Draco, did you know your name means 'Dragon'? And it's a constellation."  
  
"No, thank you for telling me. Well, I must go," he said sadly.  
  
Then he left.  
  
"Does he usually act like that?" asked Rose looking at their stunned faces.  
  
"No," said Harry and Hermione at the same time.  
  
"He's got a crush on you!" Ron yelled with a laugh.  
  
"It's not funny when Malfoy has a crush on my sister, that's not good," said Harry.  
  
"So it's not good, okay, I won't flirt with him. Oh and Harry I heard someone say that you got a singing Valentine a couple years ago," Rose laughed.  
  
"Who told you that?" Harry asked surprised.  
  
"Seamus Finnigan," Hermione said.  
  
Rose and Hermione laughed uncontrollably. Soon they got to the school and they went into the Great Hall and they eat their feast. Once they had all eaten their dinner Professor Dumbledore stood up  
  
"We have a new fourth year amongst us!"  
  
Malfoy said to the Slytherins, "She's very pretty, I'm gonna show her why she shouldn't hang out with those Gryffindors."  
  
Professor Dumbledore continued, "She is in Gryffindor. Her name is Rose Potter." .  
  
The school let out a gasp, and nearly everyone stood up to try to see her. They all went upstairs to the Gryffindor dormitories as Rose climbed the spiral stairs to the girls dorms with Hermione, then she entered the room.  
  
"Wha-" Rose began, but then she looked around the room all of her belongings had been put around her part of the room her pictures were on the night stand, her clothes in the open wardrobe, her stuffed animals had been placed neatly on the bed, her books from home, and her school books were placed next to her bed. "My animals, my clothes, my books they're all here. I thought I left them at home."  
  
"You did," came a voice from behind, "Professor Dumbledore thought it best for you to have your belongings I don't think he should have brought ALL of it," said Professor McGonagall disapprovingly. "Well, get to sleep."  
  
Within the next few months Rose fit in perfectly for someone who had missed the first three years of Hogwarts she was doing almost as good as Hermione without even trying. Hermione didn't seem to care that she had competition in being the best in the year. Malfoy sent Rose letter after letter trying to convince her of being his and only his. Every time she got one Fred and George read them to all of Gryffindor to make them laugh. Malfoy never found out until one day Fred and George couldn't take it any longer, and they started to laugh at Malfoy.  
  
And he said, "What've you got to laugh at me for? Are you laughing to make me look like a fool with nothing to say to back it up?"  
  
The twins couldn't take it any more they pulled out one of the letters they had stolen from Rose and read it aloud:  
  
"Dear My Beautiful Rose, I wish you were mine we could conquer the world together. With you by my side I could be unstoppable. I love you. Why do you never write me back? You are so beautiful. Yours always and forever, Draco Malfoy," finished Fred, who was trying not to laugh, comforting George who was pretending to cry saying between fake sobs, "Beautiful, beautiful."  
  
All of the students in the corridor laughed as Malfoy went magenta and stormed out of the hall to Transfiguration where the rest of the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were waiting. Meanwhile in Charms, Dean Thomas turned around to Rose and Ron who were partners for the invisibility charm, they had lost the button they were using because Rose was successful in making it change color, and said, "Did you hear about what happened this morning?"  
  
"No," Ron and Rose said together.  
  
"Fred and George have been stealing your letters from Malfoy and reading them to everyone when you're not there. Well this morning when they saw Malfoy they couldn't take it anymore and read it out loud to everyone in the corridor and he went redder than an apple. It was so funny," Dean said.  
  
By lunch everyone had heard about Malfoy's letters. Soon after the incident in the hall Ron and Rose became boyfriend and girlfriend, it seemed Ron had a crush on Rose since the first time they had met, as did Rose. Malfoy became meaner than ever to Ron. In the corridor, later that day, Malfoy was standing behind Rose, Ron, Harry and Hermione insulting them. Rose turned around, against Hermione's pleas.  
  
"Shut up," said Rose.  
  
"Is that the best you can do? 'Shut up'?" scoffed Draco.  
  
"No."  
  
Then Rose went on to repeat Kirsty Alley's performance in 'Victoria's closet'. (A/N: And for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. She wanted to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for telling the most jokes in a limited amount of time, but the last one she did, wasn't funny, so she got mad at the guy who was judging her, and she began to cuss him out, bleeping out every other word she said, and in the end she was put in as 'The Most Vulgar Woman in the World.') Hermione covered her ears, Crabbe and Goyle had their hands to their mouths in shock, Ron, Harry, and Draco all had their mouths open, and their eyes were wide. When Rose finished, she turned and her friends followed her. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
It was Halloween and Rose and Harry had become as though they'd never been apart. They walked in to the Great Hall, and ate, until it was time to announce the winners for the Triwizard Tournament. After he had finished the three, it lit up again, and Harry's name was announced. His face drained of all color. Rose looked at Ron and Hermione.  
  
"He couldn't have entered for it," she said.  
  
"How so, Rose?" asked Ron.  
  
"He's too young. There's no way he could have, I mean, Fred and George even tried Aging spells, and they still couldn't. Someone's trying to set him up."  
  
"What makes you say that?" asked Hermione.  
  
"If anything you've told me that's happened to Harry is true, then they're after him, in a BIG way."  
  
After the Feast, Rose waited for Harry, when he came out, they walked up to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"How do you think your name got put in there?"  
  
"Fluke, a joke, a way to get me killed," he replied.  
  
"Then why not pull out?"  
  
"I can't. Once a name's pulled as champion, they're a champion."  
  
"Well that sucks."  
  
"You're telling me!"  
  
"Well, I'll do what I can."  
  
He smiled as they entered the Common Room. Rose watched, not knowing what to do to help Harry. She sat, helpless as he fought the dragon, biting her nails, hoping nothing happened to him. One day, around Christmas, Seamus called Rose into the Common Room.  
  
"Rose!" he called.  
  
"What?" she replied.  
  
"Come to me!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Hold on."  
  
She walked into the Common Room, and Seamus pulled her to a deserted part of the Common Room.  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
He looked around to make sure no one was listening. Rose laughed at him.  
  
"Shh! What should I get Lavender for Christmas?"  
  
"You got me down here for THAT?!?!"  
  
"Shh. Someone might hear you."  
  
Rose laughed so hard; she got a stitch in her side. Seamus covered her mouth, and they accidentally fell to the ground, as Ron walked up to the two. Seamus had landed on top of Rose.  
  
"Seamus, get off of me."  
  
" 'K. Hiya Ron."  
  
Ron smiled sardonically.  
  
"Hello, Seamus. Rose, can we talk for a minute?"  
  
"Sure." She looked at Seamus. "Jewelry or something like that."  
  
She got up off the floor, and walked with Ron to the opposite end of the Common Room.  
  
"What were you and Seamus talking about?"  
  
"That's classified information."  
  
"It is, is it?"  
  
Rose was grinning, but then she saw the solemn look on her boyfriend's face.  
  
"Yea, what's it to you?"  
  
"I thought I have a right to know what my girlfriend was up to."  
  
"What? YOUR GIRLFRIEND? I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!! DON'T REFER TO ME AS IF I'M YOUR POSSESION, CUZ I'M NOT!! I AM MY OWN PERSON, GOT THAT?!?!" She turned and was about to leave when she turned around. "Are we in agreement that this boyfriend/ girlfriend relationship isn't going to work out? Cuz if we're not, TOO BAD!"  
  
Then she turned and went back up to the girl's dorms. The next day, the whole school had heard about the breakup, and guys were swarming her to ask if she'd go to the Ball with them. The first person who asked her was a Gryffindor 7th year, Andrew O'Donnelly. At five o'clock, three hours before the Ball, Rose went up into her room to get ready.  
  
"Geez, Andrew, I didn't even think that she would take this long to get ready. She never took this long for Ron," Seamus whispered to Andrew.  
  
"I heard that!" yelled Rose and Ron, at the same time, from opposite sides of the tower, but it seemed no one else did.  
  
An hour later Professor McGonagall came in, went up into the room where Rose was. The guys looked at each other, confused. A half and hour later she came back down, with Rose's camera.  
  
"A half an hour to go," said Harry.  
  
"Yup," said Andrew, "Hey Harry, do you think she's just going with me to get back at Ron?"  
  
"No, if she was, she would have gone with Malfoy, he hates him. She must really like you, she's taking a long time to get ready."  
  
"I don't know why. She looks stunning in jeans and a sweatshirt," replied Andrew.  
  
Twenty minutes later, Andrew, Harry, and Seamus were waiting at the bottom of the girl's staircase. First, Lavender came down to Seamus; she was wearing lavender robes, with her hair down. Dean met Harry and Andrew at the bottom of the stairs. (Seamus and Lavender were waiting for Dean and Jamie (a third year), Harry and Parvati, and Andrew and Rose) Next, was Parvati in bright pink robes, her hair braided with golden bracelets on. After Parvati, came Jaime in forest green robes, with her hair half up, half down. Last, came Rose, in blue robes, that matched her eyes, her dark red hair up in a French twist with two strands in ringlets hanging down by her face, she had eye shadow that matched her robes. For jewelry she wore her silver heart pendant, and her cross earrings. Andrew was breathless; the other guys just stared as she looked at them.  
  
"Andrew, you're lucky she's my sister, cuz if she wasn't, I'd steal her away from you. Come on Ron, we're going to be late," said Harry.  
  
"Come Lady Rose, the Ball awaits your gracious presence," said Andrew, as he kissed her hand.  
  
"Let us go, Sir Andrew, and no one awaits a gracious presence from me."  
  
"You are so modest, beautiful one."  
  
Rose blushed the color of the sunset, Ron rolled his eyes, and they went down to the Great Hall. Soon Hermione came down, unnoticed, and unrecognized, to join her date, Viktor Krum. The four champions and their dates started to dance. Soon, most of the school was dancing.  
  
"So, are you good at dancing?" asked Rose.  
  
"Okay, I guess. You?"  
  
"I'm okay, too"  
  
After two hours, Andrew and Rose walked outside and into the rose garden. Not noticing two pairs of eyes watching them.  
  
"So," started Andrew awkwardly, "Where did you live before you came to Hogwarts?"  
  
"America, the accent kinda gives it away."  
  
He laughed  
  
"Yes, yes it does. You Muggle- born, full blooded or half and half?"  
  
"Half and half, you?"  
  
"Full blooded. How did you come to Great Britain?"  
  
"I received a letter saying: 'I've enclosed a plane ticket to London, leaving August 27, at 4pm, I've arranged to have a taxi pick you up. I've also sent you money to stay at the inn, in between the record and big bookshops on 5th street. You are to meet the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Signed A Friend.'"  
  
"Is it an easier life here than there?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
Andrew picked a red rose and handed it to her.  
  
"A rose for an unmatchable beauty."  
  
Andrew leaned over to kiss her.  
  
"Hold up, Romeo. I broke up with Ron yesterday. This would make me a player, not that many people here would know the meaning of that, but I'm just not ready. Okay?"  
  
Ron smiled.  
  
"Did you love each other?"  
  
"I don't know. He said he loved me, but he ended up thinking I belonged to him, that I was a possession, not a person. Well, I really don't know what he thought, but he acted that way."  
  
"Do you still love him?" asked Andrew.  
  
"You're being very nosy, ya know that? Well, anyway, I really don't know how I feel right now, I'm confused."  
  
"Oh, okay," said Andrew, "It's cold out here, let's go back inside."  
  
He held out his hand.  
  
"All right."  
  
So, they walked back inside and sat down to eat something before they resumed dancing. Once they had eaten Seamus and Lavender came up to Andrew and Rose. Seamus asked Rose to dance, Lavender asked Andrew. After them Dean and Jamie asked them to dance.  
  
"So, is Andrew your new boy toy? Or are you gonna start chasing after me?" asked Dean.  
  
"You, Little Denzel? Why would I do that? I'm just kidding. No, Andrew's just a friend."  
  
"Denzel?"  
  
"Denzel Washington, you look just like him."  
  
"Oh okay."  
  
Later, Ginny asked Andrew to dance, while Neville attempted to ask Rose.  
  
"Um... Rose... if it's not too much trouble-"  
  
"Yes, Neville, I'll dance with you."  
  
When that song was over Andrew and Rose danced together again.  
  
"My feet are killing me," said Rose.  
  
"Wanna sit down?" asked Andrew.  
  
"No. Did you know, all while we were dancing, Neville barely touched the floor."  
  
"Is he that good of a dancer?"  
  
"God no, he danced on my feet, the tops hurt, not the bottoms."  
  
"Oh," said Andrew, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Can I cut in?" said a voice.  
  
It was Parvati, Rose and Parvati never got along. Parvati acted so 'High and Mighty' around Rose, but, according to everyone else, she was nice to them.  
  
"No, why would I want to dance with you?" asked Rose, pretending not to know what she was talking about,  
  
Andrew laughed.  
  
"I wasn't talking to you," she replied acidly.  
  
"Oh, so you want to dump my brother for my date. I don't think so Miss 'look at me, look at me, I have to try as hard as I can to look halfway decent' And according to the stares I've received, I look a whole lot better than you," said Rose, "My answer stands, you can't 'cut in', got it?"  
  
She didn't raise her voice above a cheerful tone. Parvati turned on her heel to flirt with some Beauxbaton guys, all of whom were staring fixedly at Rose.  
  
"Boy, you sure are nasty, saying mean things in a nice way. You hit below the belt," said Andrew smiling at her, "Let's kind of turn toward the left, so you can see who's staring daggers at me."  
  
"I don't have to, I can feel his gaze in my back. Ron has no reason to be jealous, he started the fight, and as I was taught, I finished it."  
  
Andrew spun her around one last time as the song ended. Dean, Jamie, Seamus (who was carrying Lavender), Rose, Andrew, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Angelina, Fred, George, and Alicia all walked back upstairs to Gryffindor Tower together.  
  
They got into the common room and Jamie said, "Come on Rose, help me get Lavender to bed."  
  
"No need, I'll get her up there by myself," said Rose.  
  
"Good luck, I almost dropped her, the whole way up here," said Seamus.  
  
Rose picked Lavender up and practically flung her over her shoulder, and getting up the stairs without breaking a sweat.  
  
"Do I even want to know how you did that?" asked Seamus, when Rose came back down.  
  
"I used to workout," said Rose, who had changed into her pajamas.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure," said Dean sarcastically, "you USED to."  
  
"I haven't worked out in about a year," replied Rose, "I still can't believe Hermione went to the Ball with Viktor Krum, after all Harry said she had said about girls only liking him, because he was famous, and him not being that handsome, and all that junk."  
  
The guys who were still in the common room, which was Dean, Seamus, Fred, George, and Harry, laughed.  
  
Parvati came through the portrait hole, "So, everyone's favorite sleep- around is at it again." Parvati smiled evilly.  
  
"You're everyone's favorite? Really? I thought you were everyone's least favorite, and that you drugged guys long enough to get what you want," Rose was losing her temper, not a pretty sight.  
  
Parvati's nostrils flared, "Well I must be better than you, because Harry asked me to the Ball."  
  
"One: He's my brother, that's just disgusting! And two: As a last resort, and I'm willing to bet, that if Harry hadn't been preoccupied with whatever, he would have been more fun, and you would have drugged him, too, just so you could brag, about doing that with "Famous Harry Potter", well know what? You'll have to kill me first, to even attempt to drug him, to get him in the sack. And, if you try to do that again, with anyone, I'll tell Dumbledore that you and Padma trade places, to raise both of your grades," said Rose, breathing heavily.  
  
"You wouldn't dare."  
  
"I would, I'm a very daring person, I'm a Potter, for goodness sake!"  
  
At that Parvati went up to their dorm and slammed the door.  
  
"Ice woman," said Fred and George together.  
  
"You better believe it," said Rose.  
  
Once again, the guys laughed. Then Rose caught sight of Ron spying on them. The next morning, Rose, Harry, Hermione and Ron sat together to open their presents. Harry got the usual: Candy, Quidditch Equipment from Remus and a knife that opens any door from Sirius, and a book from. you guessed it Hermione! Rose's gifts were more interesting. She got a painting (addressed to both her and Harry) of her parents, who acted as though they would when they were alive, and an Invisibility cloak with a note:  
  
'This was your mother's. Found it, hidden. It was a gift to her from your father. Stay out of trouble.'  
  
Rose thought the last words were hilarious, she laughed so hard that tears came streaming down her face. After breakfast, Rose went to the library, to finish up her homework. She finished, and walked out, with her nose in a book, and ran head on into Cedric Diggory.  
  
"Sorry," they said at the same time.  
  
They laughed.  
  
"Hi, I'm Cedric Diggory," he said, holding out his hand to help her up.  
  
She took it, and he helped her up.  
  
"Hi, I'm Rose Potter."  
  
They reached down to pick up their strewn books. They walked into an empty classroom, and talked. They talked and talked for a several hours. A while later, there was noise, and talking from the corridor, and the two stopped talking.  
  
"It's lunch time," he muttered.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"It appears that way. It does come about at this time on most days."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"You're funny."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Will you go out with me?"  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"Sure."  
  
He looked SO happy. When the noise died down, they went their separate ways, for a while at least. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The second task had been over for quite some time, and the third was approaching quickly.  
  
"Good Morning, Professor," she said cheerfully.  
  
"What's so good about it-- I mean-- Good Morning Miss Potter."  
  
"What do you do for a living, outside of this?"  
  
He looked a bit nervous.  
  
"I'm an Auror."  
  
She asked him questions about his personal life.  
  
"Who's your boss?"  
  
"Vol-- er-- Minister Fudge."  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Is it safe for the girl most wanted dead by the Dark Lord, to be poking around?"  
  
"I'm wanted dead by Voldemort? Really? I didn't know that. If the public knew that information I would have known. How is it that you know, and Dumbledore doesn't?"  
  
She sat with Ron and Hermione, as Harry wasn't there, he was preparing for the third task. After class, she ate dinner, and headed with Ron and Hermione to the Quidditch Pitch, which was now a maze. They sat with Mrs. Weasley and Bill. After a while, Rose fell asleep, her head on Bill's shoulder, suddenly she woke up, as Cedric and Harry grabbed the Cup.  
  
"No," she whispered.  
  
They disappeared. She ran down to where they had disappeared, and pushed though the crowd to the spot where they had been. Moody grabbed her around the middle, to keep her away from it. Dumbledore looked at Rose.  
  
"Calm down Miss Potter, calm down."  
  
She cried on McGonagall's shoulder until they popped up again. She ran to them, she hugged Harry, then looked at Cedric, and screamed, her hands over her mouth. She fainted, holding Cedric's cold hand. Hermione attempted to wake Rose up, as Harry sort of swayed. Moody went to him.  
  
"Up ya go," he said.  
  
Rose opened her eyes.  
  
"Harry?" she called for her brother.  
  
"Moody took him," said someone nearby.  
  
"Didn't Dumbledore say not to move him?" asked Hermione.  
  
No one answered. Rose looked at Cedric, kissing him, and closing his eyes. She turned and ran back to the castle, unable to look at his body any longer. She ran up the marble staircase, but got weaker at every step. She was almost to the top when she fainted again, hitting her head and falling down the stairs. Her life plunged in to darkness.  
  
"Rose? Rose?" the distant voice faded in and out.  
  
Rose opened her eyes slowly, she blinked, adjusting to the darkness. Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Fred, George, Remus, Ron, Hermione and a large black dog all looked at her in shock.  
  
"Mornin' sunshine," said Bill.  
  
"Potters, what am I going to do with your entire family? Well, at least I'm always on my toes," said Madam Pomfrey, sighing.  
  
"Hey, Madam Pomfrey. What's shakin'?" said Rose, weakly, trying to grin.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was shocked, Ron and Remus sniggered.  
  
"I see you are awake, Rose," said Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"I'm going back to sleep, and I pray to God I never wake up," said Rose.  
  
"She loves to sleep, doesn't she?" asked Bill.  
  
She faced him.  
  
"You didn't get the meaning of that, did you?"  
  
She rolled over and went back to sleep. Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Madame Pomfrey, Remus, and the black dog (Sirius, in case you aren't really awake or you're extremely dense, like me) looked at one another. Rose awoke to see Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape in the room, McGonagall left.  
  
"Severus, I'll need your help. Come in here," said Dumbledore.  
  
Rose sat up.  
  
"Awake again?" said Ron.  
  
"I'm not in the mood, Ron."  
  
Sirius changed back into a person. Mrs. Weasley gasped.  
  
"Black," said Snape.  
  
"Snape," said Sirius.  
  
"This is not the time for childhood feuds," said Rose.  
  
"Oh, and there's James," said Sirius.  
  
"Sirius," said Rose, warningly.  
  
Finally, Dumbledore got them to agree to work together. The next day, Rose had snuck out of the Hospital Wing to change before the feast. Since Cedric had died, she put on a black tank top, and black jeans. She walked downstairs, careful to stay way from the Hospital Wing.  
  
She was almost to the Great Hall when she heard, "Rose Potter!"  
  
Rose jumped, and turned around slowly.  
  
"I never gave you permission to leave the Hospital Wing! I need to give you one last checkup."  
  
"Yo, Madame Pomfrey, wuz up?" said Rose, she smiled, angelically, although the smile didn't even come close to reaching her eyes.  
  
"Don't try that on me, missy. Your dad used the 'good friend' approach, your mother used that smile. Your dad and his friends drove me up the wall. Well, you seem to be in good health, you can go."  
  
She continued toward the Great Hall.  
  
"Escape the Hospital wing, Rose?" asked Seamus.  
  
"Yup. Oh, and I developed the pictures of the Yule Ball. Dean and Jamie, Andrew and me, Harry and Ron sitting down, Seamus and Lavender, Fred and Angelina, George and Alicia, Seamus and me, Dean and me, Neville and me, Andrew and Lavender, Andrew and Jaime, Andrew and Ginny, Ginny and Neville, and Hermione and Viktor. This is one of Andrew and me in the garden with Harry and Ron in the background. Oh, and this is one of me and Cedric a few months ago."  
  
"How did you know Cedric?" asked Hermione.  
  
"During Christmas break I ran into him in the corridor, and we got to talking, and well, we hit it off, we ended up going out."  
  
Someone put their hand on Rose's shoulder, she turned around, and stood up.  
  
"Cedric told us about the two of you," said Mrs. Diggory, quietly.  
  
"I know, he told me he told you, I'm sorry."  
  
"For what? There's nothing you could have done," said Mr. Diggory.  
  
Mrs. Diggory hugged Rose.  
  
"And loving him like you did was all we'd ever ask of you," said Mrs. Diggory.  
  
Rose smiled slightly, as Dumbledore stood up to talk to everyone. A little while later, Rose was one of the few who hadn't started to cry. After dinner, Rose went up to Gryffindor Tower and stared into the fire. Around one in the morning, she realized what she was doing. She walked up the spiral staircase to the Girl's Dorms. Rose put on her pajamas, got in bed, and only then, did she cry.  
  
'God,' prayed Rose, 'Please take care of Cedric for us, tell him we all miss him, especially me. Oh, and tell Mum and Dad I love and miss them. And also that I'm taking care of Harry, as much as I can, and that I won't let Sirius burn down the house, when his name is cleared, which I promise, I'll try to do. Amen'  
  
She fell asleep, crying  
  
A/N: So, I hope y'all like this! I have nothing to say other than R/R!!!!! Please. No flames! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
"Rose! Rose! Wake up!"  
  
"Will someone please shut her up!" screamed Parvati.  
  
"I'm trying Parvati, I'm trying!" Hermione yelled back.  
  
"Rose wake up!"  
  
Rose sat up like lighting, making Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati jump.  
  
"What? What happened? Something isn't right, but what?"  
  
Rose was talking more to herself than to the others.  
  
"Of course something isn't right, you're screaming!" shouted Parvati.  
  
"Shut up! Was I talking to you? I don't think so!" Rose yelled back.  
  
"Is everything all right up there, Hermione?" came Ron's voice from the common room.  
  
"We heard her screaming, but we can't come up there," came Harry's worried voice.  
  
"Yeah, everything's fine," said Hermione.  
  
"Maybe to you, but some of us are worried about horrible premonitions that they can't remember, that are about their friends and family members!" screamed Rose.  
  
Who got up and slid down the rail of the spiral staircase, just as Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick came running into the common room all with drawn wands.  
  
"Is everything all right?" asked Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"I don't know, I had another dream," replied Rose.  
  
"A dream? A dream? You wake up the entire school because of a dream?" asked Snape sourly.  
  
"Let me clarify, then. I had another premonition, an absolutely horrible one, which is all I can remember. If I can remember my premonition, I can prevent it from happening. Harry, tell me everything that happened tonight, I need every tiny detail, okay?" said Rose.  
  
"Do you have to do it now?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"It's 4:30 in the morning," said Ron.  
  
"I know, but it's 10:30 on the east coast of the US, and my old friends haven't even gone to bed yet," replied Rose.  
  
"You never give up do you?" asked Ron.  
  
"No."  
  
Dumbledore nodded again, and the Professors left. Harry then told them, as best he could, what had happened that night. When he was done she stood up.  
  
"Great, just bloody terrific," said Rose sarcastically, "Eventually he'll gain more supporters, more power, and when we least expect it, he'll attack. It'll be a massacre, he'll murder everyone in and out of sight. But, what can we do now? To try to stop it before it starts? I can't tell the Minister, because he's an idiot, and he won't do anything, just to save his job, he's worse than Percy. I know a bunch of fourteen year olds can't do much."  
  
"Remus and Sirius will help," piped up Hermione.  
  
"I know, but to the rest of the world that's four fourteen year olds, a werewolf, and a murderer, which only a few people know isn't true. Dumbledore'll help, and so will the teachers. Ron, talk to your dad, see how many people he's got helping out. Okay?"  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
"Well, let's get some sleep. Night," said Rose as she stopped pacing and walked back up to bed.  
  
She slept until 8:45, enough time to get dressed and get to breakfast.  
  
"Good morning," said Rose.  
  
"I see you're felling better, Miss Screamer," said George.  
  
"Shut up," said Rose, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, at the same time.  
  
"Who are you staying with this summer, Rose?" asked Fred.  
  
"No one yet," she said, simply.  
  
"We can ask Mum if you could stay with us. She even said she wanted to have you over, and maybe even stay with us, if you wanted." said Fred and George.  
  
"Sure, if that's okay with your parents."  
  
After breakfast, they were loading the train, and they got on and pulled away from the school. Then later that day, they pulled into King's Cross, and Mrs. Weasley officially invited Rose to stay with them.  
  
"I'll see you in August," said Rose.  
  
She gave Harry a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and Hermione a hug.  
  
"Bye! See you all later this summer," yelled Rose as Rose and the Weasley's went a separate way than Harry and Hermione.  
  
They used Floo Powder to get to the Burrow, and Ron helped carry Rose and Ginny's trunks up to Ginny's room. Then the two girls went back downstairs to help with dinner.  
  
"Any ideas? We have nothing new, accept spaghetti stuff, but I can never get it right," said Mrs. Weasley, turning to the girls.  
  
"Ooo, spaghetti sounds great!" aid Rose.  
  
"Can you cook it?" Rose nodded. "Do you mind?"  
  
"Absolutely not."  
  
Rose mixed in all the ingredients for the perfect spaghetti sauce and Mrs. Weasley cooked it. After about an hour, it was ready, and they served it to all nine Weasley's and Rose. They took one bite, and were hooked.  
  
"Mmmm, Rose, where did you learn to cook like this?" asked Charlie.  
  
"The family that I lived with was part Italian.."  
  
"Oh. Well, Her Royal Highness, Queen Rose of the Universe can cook, and be cute, at the same time," said Bill.  
  
She looked at him, and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't look cute. I don't do cute. I don't know why, but I hate it when people call me cute."  
  
"Your mum was like that. I was a first year when she was a seventh year. Someone called her cute, and I remember a book flying across the room, and nearly hitting me."  
  
Rose smiled slightly.  
  
"Really? I would have loved to have known her."  
  
Everyone shifted uncomfortably, and the rest of dinner was silent other than Percy rambling on about work, and how his boss was on a long vacation, which, they all knew, was not true. A few weeks later, Rose woke Ginny up around 7 in the morning, and they snuck down the stairs, and were doing something in the kitchen. When they were done, they hid whatever they were doing outside, and went to get dressed, they did so, and waited for everyone else, outside the front door. Soon, everyone began to come downstairs, looking for Rose and Ginny.  
  
"Boys, you go look outside and look," said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Rose and Ginny looked at each other and grinned. They couldn't have planned it any better. All of the Weasley family boys walked outside the door. Rose and Ginny, on either side of the door, began to throw water balloons at them. About a minute after the attack had begun, two people Apperated right in the middle of it.  
  
"STOP RIGHT THIS INSTANT!!!"  
  
Ginny stopped and Rose not only stopped, but quickly sat down.  
  
"Hello, Professor McGonagall," said the two girls, trying to look innocent.  
  
Percy looked at the two angrily. Rose couldn't resist. She stood up, and stood in front on Percy, hiding something behind her back.  
  
"What do you have behind your back?" asked Percy.  
  
"Nothin'," said Rose.  
  
"There's something behind your back, what is it?"  
  
Remus walked behind Rose.  
  
"You don't want to know," said Remus.  
  
"Yes I do! Now GIVE IT TO ME!"  
  
"Okay," said Rose, shrugging.  
  
She let go of it with one hand, and pulled it around front of her. It was a hose. She sprayed Percy until his face was red with anger again. Remus took the hose from Rose and got her and Ginny. Now everyone was laughing. Rose grabbed her water balloons and broke them over Remus's head. Soon, they entire Weasley family, Rose, and the two guests were all in the heated battle. After a while they ran out of water balloons and were forced to stop. The adults dried everyone off, and they went inside for lunch. Over the next few hours, they talked and then, that was the day Mr. Weasley and Percy had their fight, Rose thought it was wrong of Percy to be so closed- minded, but it was none of her business. Percy stormed up the stairs, packing his things, and leaving the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley cried the rest of the day, and Rose and Ginny made dinner. The next day, McGonagall, Remus and Sirius came back over, helping them get their things for their stay at number twelve Grimmauld Place to stay the remainder of the summer. Rose walked around the house, and fell over the troll's leg umbrella stand.  
  
"Watch it!" said Remus.  
  
The woman in the portrait screamed, and Rose jumped back, falling down the stairs.  
  
"What the f-" she looked at Mrs. Weasley, who wasn't paying attention, "hell was that?"  
  
"My mom," said Sirius, simply.  
  
"Your WHAT?!"  
  
"My mom, we never really got along. I can't get that damn portrait down, stupid-"  
  
"That's no way to talk about you mother," said Mrs. Weasley, who was still really upset about Percy.  
  
Rose looked at Sirius.  
  
"Thank God you have a great sense of humor," she shook her head, and walked back up the stairs.  
  
Hermione joined them three days later, and they walked, and Fred and George tried to listen in with their new Extendable Ears. Mrs. Weasley walked up behind them.  
  
"Shit, they're in trouble now," said Rose, watching from Ron's room.  
  
"You two are not old enough to be in the Order, so what goes on in there is none of your business," she said.  
  
Fred and George slowly turned around, facing their mother, and ran up to their room. Mrs. Weasley put a charm on the door, to keep the twins from listening in again. Fred and George came in to the room, and they talked about what Harry was doing then, and how boring it was there without Harry, or being able to listen in on the conversations. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Over the next few weeks, Rose read the Daily Prophet and she'd get mad every time they said something about Harry or Dumbledore.  
  
"I swear!" she yelled one morning.  
  
"What now?" asked George.  
  
"Now! Now, they're bad mouthing me!"  
  
"What'd they say?" asked Bill, putting his head on her shoulder, knowing it bothered her.  
  
"They said that I'm a loudmouthed American who doesn't know when to shut up, or keep my legs crossed! I believe they just called me a whore!"  
  
"Faerie Rose Potter, watch you language!" scolded Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley."  
  
Sirius laughed at her. Rose glared at him and threw her piece of toast at him.  
  
"Suck up," whispered Sirius.  
  
"Girl," retaliated Rose.  
  
"Rose Potter!"  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Listen to this, 'A Ministry official has informed us that they are conducting an investigation on the supposedly accidental death of Cedric Diggory, who was dating Rose Potter at the time. "I think she did it herself, tired of him, maybe, more than likely she wanted him all to herself, and he wanted to chuck her," said Melinda Grayson, of Witch Weekly,'" read Hermione.  
  
Rose ran upstairs, and into the girls' room. Everyone at the table looked at one another. Sirius stood up and went up to her room. He knocked.  
  
"Rose? Can I come in?"  
  
"Fine," she said through sobs.  
  
Sirius opened the door, and closed it behind him, he sat on the bed next to Rose. She was lying face down, crying on the bed. He put his hand on her back, not knowing what to say. She sat up and looked at him.  
  
"I'd never do that," she said, calming down.  
  
"I know, I know."  
  
"Cedric was hesitant about kissing me, we never-"  
  
He hugged her as a new wave of tears came over her. He sat there comforting her for an hour or so, until she got a hold of herself, and stopped. Later that week, Harry joined them, and when Rose saw the anger in his eyes when he got there, she left and stayed with Ginny, throwing Dungbombs at the door. Then after Harry had finished shouting, they went in and they all talked until dinner. Ginny left after dinner (after much protesting) so they could explain to Harry about the Order. After that, they went up to their rooms, and Rose went with Harry so they could talk. She sat on the end of his bed, and Harry sat next to her.  
  
"So, what do you think?" she asked him.  
  
"That I have no idea what the Hell's happening, and for all I know Voldemort could be waiting outside for me."  
  
Rose nodded.  
  
"Well, he's not, so that's one less thing to worry about tonight."  
  
"No, you don't get it! That IS the thing to worry about!"  
  
Rose shook her head.  
  
"Stop with the negative waves, always with the negative waves!" she said, attempting to quote Kelly's Heroes. Harry glared at her. "Don't look at me in that tone, mister!"  
  
"You. you. you."  
  
"Me, me, me, what about me?"  
  
"You are so."  
  
"Sweet? Adorable? Loveable?"  
  
He looked at her like she was insane.  
  
"Annoying."  
  
"I know, so are you, but I don't tell you! I've never said anything like that about you!" Harry sighed. "You know what? If you want to close yourself off, FINE!"  
  
She stormed off and up to her room, muttering things about Harry. The next day was Harry's trail, and Rose went with him. They got into the lift, Harry and Rose both silent, as Mr. Weasley greeted the others coming and going. They reached the level where the trial was being held. Harry went inside the room, and Rose and Mr. Weasley waited outside. Seconds later, Dumbledore and Arabella Figg walked up, and Dumbledore walked into the room. Rose paced back and forth until Mrs. Figg walked inside, and then came back out, then Dumbledore came out, and left without so much as a word to either of them. Harry walked out, followed by the rest of the Wizengammot. Rose saw Percy, and ignored him. Malfoy walked up to Minister Fudge, as they got into the lift.  
  
"That's wonderful, Harry!" said Rose, as the lift began to go up.  
  
"Yea, for a while there I thought they were going to send me to Azkaban," he joked, smiling.  
  
"Well, you weren't! I think I'll cook a big dinner tonight-" she stopped as she felt a hand on her back, go lower, and lower, and lower.  
  
"That'll be great! Can you even cook?" asked Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Of course I can cook! Honestly-"  
  
The hand just grabbed a handful of ass, hers. She tried not to say anything, a fight with a Death Eater and the Minister of Magic is NOT something you want when people all ready doubt your credibility. She looked over her shoulder slightly and saw Mr. Malfoy, still talking to Minister Fudge, pulling his hand away from her and back into his pocket, as the lift stopped, and Mr. Malfoy and Fudge got off. The lift moved again.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"You look peaky."  
  
"I'm not peaky."  
  
"You do look pale," said Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Not you, too."  
  
Mr. Weasley shrugged, as they exited the lift. They made their way back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. When they got there Rose went into the kitchen and began planning the big meal planned for them all. Sirius came in and saw her, busying herself.  
  
"What's up?" he asked, sitting at the table, watching her.  
  
"Nothing, nothing's up, why do you ask?"  
  
"Because you've got that 'there's something wrong, but I don't want to say anything' attitude about you."  
  
Rose sighed, looked at Sirius and smiled.  
  
"I'm fine, just a little flustered about dinner. I can't decide what to make."  
  
He looked at her.  
  
"You're so full of shit."  
  
She looked up at him.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You heard me, now will you tell me what's wrong, or I'll force it out of you."  
  
"No, you'll get mad."  
  
"No I won't. I promise."  
  
"No."  
  
"Please," he begged.  
  
"No, begging, groveling, and pleading do not work on me."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"I won't get mad, I promise, you have nothing to worry about."  
  
"Yes I do because if I tell you you'll kill someone and get sent back to Azkaban."  
  
Sirius looked furious.  
  
"Someone did something to you? I'll kill 'em!"  
  
Rose looked at him.  
  
"My point exactly. Now, you go and do whatever you do, and I'll finish dinner."  
  
He left and Rose sighed, and finished dinner. Ron and Hermione soon received their Prefect badges along with the Hogwarts letters. Rose could tell Harry wanted to be a prefect, but she didn't. She didn't like not being able to get in trouble.  
  
"Being that-rule-oriented, its just not right!" she told Hermione, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Tonks at the Prefect party.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and threw a chip at her. Rose ran away and hid behind Sirius.  
  
"What are you-" he began.  
  
"Save me from the Evil Prefect! She's after me with chips!" screamed Rose as Hermione came after her.  
  
Both girls were laughing, and finally gave up and just laughed. Rose put a CD in the new stereo she'd gotten Sirius because he loved hers. Then sang two songs, using her butterbeer as her microphone. 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' and 'Celebrity', for Harry. He rolled his eyes at her, as she sang to him. Bill laughed at her mock- horrible singing. They'd heard her sing in the shower, so they knew she could sing, but she pretended she couldn't, just for Harry. The next song she sang was 'The Scotsman'  
  
"A Scotsman clad in kilts, left the bar one evening fair  
  
And one could tell by how he walked he'd drunk more than his share  
  
He fumbled 'round until he could no longer keep his feet  
  
then he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street.  
  
Oh, Ring-ding diddle diddle aye-dee-oh  
  
Ring di-diddle oh  
  
He stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street.  
  
Well later on two young and lovely girls just happened by  
  
And one says to the other, with a twinkle in her eye  
  
"Oh see yon sleeping Scotsman, so strong and handsome built?"  
  
" I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt."  
  
Oh, Ring-ding diddle diddle aye-dee-oh  
  
Ring di-diddle- oh  
  
"I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath their kilt."  
  
So they creeped up to the sleeping Scotsman, quiet as they could be  
  
And they lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see  
  
And there behold, for them to view, beneath his Scottish skirt,  
  
Was nothing but what God had graced him with upon his birth.  
  
Oh Ring-ding diddle diddle aye-dee-oh  
  
Ring di-diddle-oh Nothing but what God had graced him with upon his birth.  
  
Well they marveled for a moment, then one said, "We best be gone."  
  
"But let's leave a present for our friend before we move along."  
  
So as a gift, they left a blue silk ribbon tied into a bow  
  
Around the bonnie star the Scot's kilt lifted showed.  
  
Oh Ring-ding diddle diddle aye-dee-oh  
  
Ring di-diddlee-oh  
  
Around the bonnie star the Scot's kilt lifted show.  
  
When the Scotsman woke to nature's call, he stumbled towards the trees  
  
Behind the bush, he lifts his kilt, and he gawks at what he sees,  
  
And in a startled voice, he says, 'To what's before my eyes,  
  
"Oh, I don't know where I've been, but I see I won first prize!  
  
Oh Ring-ding diddle diddle aye-dee-oh  
  
Ring di-diddlee-oh  
  
"Oh, I don't know where I've been, but I see I won first prize!"  
  
The all laughed at the song. Rose just grinned. After that, they went to bed, Remus comforting Mrs. Weasley. On the way to King's Cross Rose sat with Ginny, Fred and George. When they got off, they got on the train and Rose sat with Harry, Ginny and Neville in the same compartment as Luna Lovegood. Neville was smiling and showing off his new plant and it squirted everyone, as Cho walked by, waving.  
  
"Hi Harry," she said, walking past.  
  
Harry had a stupid grin on his face.  
  
"'Hi Harry,'" mimicked Rose.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes as Rose giggled a stupid giggle.  
  
"Shut up," he said.  
  
"Make me,"  
  
Ginny and Neville laughed. Luna looked up briefly from her upside magazine. When the train stopped, they got off, and to the carriages.  
  
"What in the-" said Harry.  
  
"You can see them, too?" asked Rose.  
  
"The big horse things?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then I'm not insane!"  
  
Everyone around them stared at her.  
  
"Is she sure about that?" she heard Parvati whisper to Lavender, who giggled.  
  
Rose rolled her eyes and they got in the carriage, and they rose up to the school. After dinner, Ron told Rose the password, because she wasn't going back to Gryffindor Tower. Neville grinned when he heard the password. Rose walked out of the Great Hall, and into the orchard, and up into a tree, to think. She sat there for a while, then walked up to the top of the tallest tower, and looked up at the sky.  
  
"Why did you have to leave us?! Why did you trust him?! What are we supposed to do without you, huh? Neither of us can do this alone! We need you! I remember you better than Harry does! And I only knew you for three months! Why didn't you find me?! Why didn't anyone come to find me?! Didn't you care?! Does anyone care?!?!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.  
  
"I do, if that matters."  
  
Rose looked down to see her brother.  
  
"It does, but why did they have to leave us?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"They didn't have a choice, I don't guess," he said as they walked back to the common room, talking.  
  
"They did have a choice! You ALWAYS have a choice!"  
  
Rose fell to the floor, crying, her brother helped her up, but she couldn't walk. He got on his knees, in front of her, and hugged her.  
  
"They made a choice when they didn't have many options."  
  
"They could have both gone out the back, and Apperated somewhere! It was easier than dying! For ALL of us!"  
  
Harry stood up, lifted his sister off the floor, and carried her the rest of the way to the Common Room. A few weeks later, they were going to Defense Against the Dark Arts. (Everyone hated the new teacher, especially Rose and Harry.)  
  
"Wands away! Please take out your books and turn to page seventy two, and begin reading," said Umbridge.  
  
Rose sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"This sucks ass!" she said after a minute, to Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
Harry and Ron laughed, Hermione smiled. Rose raised her hand.  
  
"Miss Potter?"  
  
"Yeah, I just wanted to say that this class sucks your balls."  
  
The entire class held its breath, no one daring to look at Umbridge or Rose.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Umbridge smiled sweetly.  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"I must have misunderstood you, then."  
  
She was trying hard to maintain her smile. Rose repeated herself.  
  
"Detention tonight, Miss Potter."  
  
"Lovely," said Rose, smiling.  
  
Rose rolled her eyes, and put her books away.  
  
"Rose, what are you doing?" whispered Hermione.  
  
"I'll see you all in Charms."  
  
Rose picked up her bag and walked to the front of the class.  
  
"Sit down, please, Miss Potter."  
  
"No thanks, I don't think I will."  
  
The others knew she was just being stupid, now.  
  
"I said sit down."  
  
"And I said no."  
  
"Detention for a week."  
  
"All right, bitch."  
  
Rose left the class.  
  
"Get back here!" screamed Umbridge.  
  
Rose went into the Library, and sat there, studying for her other classes. When the bell ran she went off to Charms, as though she hadn't left Defense Against the Dark Arts. In the middle of Vanishing Charms, Professor McGonagall knocked on the door, and came in.  
  
"Yes, Minerva?" asked Professor Flitwick.  
  
"May I borrow Miss Potter for a moment?"  
  
"Yes, of course, of course."  
  
Rose went outside the classroom; McGonagall's lips were thin and white. She followed her to her office, where McGonagall closed the door.  
  
"What were you thinking?" McGonagall shouted.  
  
"I didn't say anything about Voldemort," said Rose.  
  
"I know, but she will give any reason to expel you or shut down Hogwarts!"  
  
"Well, I'm not giving her a reason. That's why I left the class."  
  
McGonagall sighed.  
  
"Are you going to detention tonight?"  
  
"Yes, I'm not that stupid."  
  
McGonagall shook her head.  
  
"Good. You may go back to class."  
  
Rose left and returned to class.  
  
"We're meeting in the Hog's Head on Saturday, do you think you can make it?" Hermione whispered to her, knowing she might not get a chance later.  
  
Rose nodded. That evening, Rose went up to Umbridge's office, and was nearly sick at the doilies in her room, and all the pink things that littered her office.  
  
"Sit."  
  
Rose slowly, and regally walked to the desk and sat. Umbridge handed her parchment and a quill. Harry had told her about it, and she was prepared.  
  
"What shall I write?"  
  
"I will respect my professors."  
  
"Respect? All right."  
  
She wrote 'I will respect my teachers' on the parchment, the words branded into her wrist. After a few hours, Umbridge took the parchment and looked at her wrist. She nodded, and Rose was allowed to go. On Friday night, she stumbled in to the Common Room, all the Gryffindors still present.  
  
"What's wrong, Rose?" asked Ginny.  
  
"I write fast," said Rose, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.  
  
Rose fainted. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Harry lifted Rose up in front of everyone and took her to the sofa, while Hermione looked for strained and pickled murtlap tentacles for her. She was weak the next day, so she just stayed in bed. On the first Hogsmeade weekend, Rose walked into the Hog's Head and saw Harry, Hermione and Ron when a familiar smell caught her attention. She looked around for the owner of the odor, hoping to see to whom it belonged. She noticed the witch in the veil by the fire, and then she walked toward the back. Rose turned and looked back at the witch, but she couldn't tell which way she was looking. She sat down next to Harry.  
  
"Nice place, Hermione, you come here often?" asked Rose.  
  
"No one will hear us here," she said, disregarding Rose's sarcasm.  
  
"How do you know that witch by the fire isn't Umbridge?"  
  
"She won't hear us, we'll be quiet."  
  
Rose snorted.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
The others came in and Hermione said her bit, Harry said his, they all signed the sheet and promised not to tell.  
  
"Yeah, and no one better tell, with the prospect of me finding you," said Rose, as they got to the exit of the Hog's Head.  
  
"Sure, I think they're all scared now," said Hermione, sarcastically.  
  
"And right they should be."  
  
They were now outside where everyone could hear them.  
  
"You're all talk, Rose."  
  
"I'm not full of shit. I'm not! I beat up my best friend a couple years ago, and the year after I broke a girl's finger. And I've beat up the guys in my old neighborhood countless times."  
  
"So, technically, you're a bully."  
  
"No, Miss High and Mighty. They started the fight, I finished it!"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. The night Sirius's head popped into the fireplace, Rose had fallen asleep on her homework.  
  
"I was beginning to think you'd gone to bed before everyone else," said Sirius.  
  
"Hey Sirius!" said Harry.  
  
Rose opened her eyes.  
  
"Did I wake you up, princess?" asked Sirius.  
  
Rose looked at him.  
  
"Shut up," she mumbled, yawning.  
  
"Good to see you too."  
  
Rose listened to the conversation, as her head lulled to the side as she fell asleep, falling off the sofa, and waking up instantly.  
  
"Damn." They all stared at her as she got back onto the sofa. "Caffeine will be needed the next time you two decide to wait and do your homework at the last minute."  
  
"You didn't do yours either," said Ron.  
  
"I was waiting for the two of you."  
  
Sirius rolled his eyes, still talking to Harry and Hermione over Ron and Rose's argument. Rose ignored Ron long enough to hear Sirius insult Kreacher. She laughed. Hermione glared at her. Rose stopped laughing. Ron laughed at Rose and she threw her book at him.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Ha, ha!"  
  
"So, what are Umbridge's lessons like? Is she training you all to kill half- breeds?"  
  
"I don't know," said Rose.  
  
"No, she's not letting us use magic at all!" said Harry.  
  
"She's making us read out of this stupid textbook," said Ron, holding up the book Rose had thrown at him.  
  
"Well that figures. Our informant in the Ministry says Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat," said Sirius  
  
"I'm having the best time in the library," said Rose.  
  
"You would," growled Hermione.  
  
"It's better than biting my tongue."  
  
Sirius looked confused.  
  
"Rose walked out on class after about six weeks," Harry informed him. "What do you mean trained in combat? What does he think we're doing here? Forming an army?"  
  
"That's exactly what her thinks you're doing, or rather that's exactly what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing-forming his own private army, with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic."  
  
Rose burst out laughing.  
  
"Shh!" Hermione scolded her, for laughing loudly.  
  
They argued while Harry, Sirius and Ron talked, Hermione adding her input every now and then.  
  
"When is your next Hogsmeade weekend anyway? I was thinking, we got away with the dog disguise at the station, didn't we? I thought I could-"  
  
"NO!" shouted Hermione and Harry.  
  
"Stay, puppy, stay," said Rose, making fun of Hermione, who glared at her.  
  
"Don't you read the Daily Prophet?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Oh that? They're always guessing, they really have no idea-" said Sirius, grinning.  
  
Rose rolled her eyes and mimicked Hermione silently. Sirius tried not to laugh at her.  
  
"If Malfoy recognizes you again-" said Harry.  
  
"All right, all right. I've got the point. Just a thought you might like to get together-"  
  
"I would, I just don't want you chucked back in Azkaban-"  
  
"All right Harry, I'm taking you to La Mas so you can learn to breathe," said Rose, simply. They looked at her. "Well, he does need to learn to calm down."  
  
No one spoke for a minute.  
  
"You're less like you father than I thought. The risk would've made it fun for James."  
  
Rose's face was now more serious than it had ever been.  
  
"Well Dad didn't face the prospect of you being thrown in to Azkaban!"  
  
Rose stood up and ran up to her dorm.  
  
"Look-" tried Harry.  
  
"Well, I'd better get going, I can hear Kreacher coming down the stairs. I'll write to tell you a time I can make it back into the fire, then, shall I? If you can stand to risk it."  
  
And he was gone. Over the next month and a half, Rose still had not gone back to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she went to all the D.A. meetings. She practiced with Neville, because no one else usually wanted to. The first few meetings there was minimal damage from anyone, and everyone seemed to be getting on fine.  
  
"All right, I think we should learn how to defend ourselves without magic," said Hermione, the meeting before the last meeting before Christmas break.  
  
"That's not my forte," said Harry.  
  
"No, that's Rose's."  
  
"Huh?" said Rose, looking up from talking with Ginny.  
  
"You're going to teach us all how to fight," said Harry.  
  
"No, no, brother dear, that's what YOU teach. Did you bump your head or something?"  
  
"Without magic."  
  
"OH! Okay, I can do that, umm. I don't know if I can teach the girls though."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, we'd have to kick. certain areas, and well, I don't want to hurt anyone."  
  
"What the Hell are these?" asked Fred, looking in a box.  
  
Rose looked in the box.  
  
"Did I ever tell you all how much I love this room? They're cups-"  
  
"Yes! Something to drink," said George.  
  
"No, no, you misunderstand. They go on your-"  
  
Rose looked at them pointedly.  
  
"On my what-oooooooh!" said Fred.  
  
Rose nodded.  
  
"They're used for Muggle sports so nothing's damaged."  
  
Her face was flushed, as she tried to explain it to the guys who had never used one. Finally, she gave up, and Harry had to tell them what to do. Ginny and Susan laughed at Rose's face.  
  
"Oh, Rose, how will you ever tell your sons about stuff?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Hopefully, I'll have a husband to do that."  
  
The girls laughed.  
  
"Now, where do we go to put them on?" asked Lee, winking at Angelina, who rolled her eyes.  
  
"The screen there in the back," said Rose, pointing to the far left corner of the room.  
  
"Was that there when we came in?" asked Ernie.  
  
"Probably not."  
  
"Just so it wasn't me."  
  
Rose laughed.  
  
"Hurry up you lot! We haven't got all night."  
  
They went in one at a time, and Fred came out with two on his chest.  
  
"Is this right, Rose? I don't think they're big enough, as my breasts are the same size as yours, EXTRA large!" he said.  
  
"Fred, if you want to keep the thing that the cups go over, then I suggest you shut up, and put it on properly, and I'll ignore the comment you just made."  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
He ran back behind the screen and did it right. Once all the guys were done, Rose stood in front of the group.  
  
"I'll need a lovely male volunteer from the audience," said Rose, theatrically. Fred, George, Lee, and Denis Creevey all raised their hands enthusiastically. "Fred, since I'm all ready angry at you. Denis, dear, I can't use you as a volunteer, you're much too sh-" she was going to say short, but she decided not to. "strong. I can't possibly take you. I need someone I can beat up," said Rose  
  
"Hey!" said Fred, as Rose faced him  
  
She winked at him, telling him what she had been doing, and he nodded.  
  
"All right, if you haven't got your wand, and your attacker comes at you from the front-er-can anyone fix broken bones?"  
  
"WHAT!?" said Fred.  
  
"I can, Mum taught me," said Ginny.  
  
"Thanks, Ginny," said Rose.  
  
"All right, Fred, come at me like you're going to attack me."  
  
Fred ran at her and she took the heel of her hand and forced it up to his nose, breaking his nose.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Ginny."  
  
"Okay," said Ginny, standing.  
  
Ginny came and fixed his nose. Fred looked at Rose.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't tell me it was going to hurt," said Fred.  
  
She rolled her eyes, and faced the group.  
  
"Take the base of your hand and push upward under their nose, causing the nose to break, so you can get away form him. Now, Fred, come at me again."  
  
He looked at her.  
  
"Don't be a baby, man!" said George.  
  
Fred looked at him, then came at Rose. She stomped on his foot and kneed him.  
  
"And that's why you wear the cup," she said.  
  
"Thanks for that much," said Fred.  
  
"Never, EVER kick them there first, they'll be expecting it. First, stomp on their foot, then kick them. Now, Fred, come at me from behind."  
  
She put her back to him, and he grabbed her around the middle with one arm, and over her shoulder with the other. She lifted herself off the floor, and then flipped him over her back. (Yes, yes, yes I KNOW I got this from Miss Congeniality, what better movie to learn from?)  
  
"Am I still alive?" asked Fred, looking at the ceiling.  
  
"Yes, Fred, get up."  
  
Fred got up.  
  
"I was just wondering."  
  
Rose laughed.  
  
"Now, the best way to get the best of an attacker from behind, is something I got from a movie. Don't knock it until you've tried it. It works, trust me," she said in reply to doubtful looks.  
  
Fred came up behind her as he did before. She stepped on his foot, elbowed him in the stomach, backhanded his nose, and hit him again in the balls. The guys flinched. Parvati raised her hand. Rose nodded.  
  
"How do you know it works?"  
  
"Weren't you watching?"  
  
"No, I missed it, do it again!" said Katie, grinning.  
  
"No, no, I don't think I could take anymore," said Fred.  
  
They laughed.  
  
"Now, imagine if you weren't wearing a cup," Rose said to him.  
  
"I thank God for them."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Now, pair off, boy girl, no couples, so the girlfriend doesn't beat up the boyfriend," said Rose, winking at Ginny, who laughed.  
  
They all paired off, and Rose went around the room, correcting them, but most got it nearly prefect. Once that was over, they went back to their own Common Rooms, watching out for Umbridge. The next morning, Rose noticed Fred avoiding her. She grinned and thought of something.  
  
"What are you grinning about?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I'll be right back," she said.  
  
She sneaked up behind Fred, motioned George and Lee to be quiet put her hands over Fred's eyes. George and Lee grinned.  
  
"Who's there?" he asked.  
  
She bit him on the neck a little. Some of the surrounding Gryffindors laughed. He raised an eyebrow, and put his hands back and felt Rose's face.  
  
"Don't poke her eyes out," said Lee.  
  
Rose tried not to laugh.  
  
"Hmm. Alicia?" suggested Fred.  
  
"It's not me," said Alicia, from several people over.  
  
"Angelina?"  
  
"Don't you wish," said Angelina, trying to stay away form Lee, who was still trying to ask her out.  
  
"Katie?"  
  
"She doesn't play Quidditch, yet," said Katie, giving him a hint.  
  
"Well, that takes away three girls, coincidentally, the three I just guessed."  
  
The Gryffindors laughed.  
  
"Hmm. I don't know."  
  
"I'll give you a hint. She's the most beautiful woman ever," said George.  
  
Rose smiled at him.  
  
"Pamela Anderson?"  
  
"Close."  
  
Rose looked at George, rolling her eyes. Fred ripped her hands off, and ducked, his hands over his head.  
  
"Don't hurt me," he said, weakly.  
  
Rose sat next to him.  
  
"Oh, my dear Fred, why ever would you think I'd hurt you?" she said, innocently.  
  
He looked at her, and made up his mind that she wasn't going to hurt him, and he relaxed.  
  
"Okay."  
  
She rolled her eyes, laughing, and went back to sit with Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
"I think you just made him your bitch," said Ron.  
  
Rose laughed, she laughed so hard she fell over backward. The Great Hall rang with laughter. She stood up, putting her arms in the air.  
  
"Ta Da!" she said.  
  
Most of the Great Hall applauded. She bowed a few times. And she sat back down. Hermione rolled her eyes, and Harry and Ron laughed and applauded. They finished breakfast and went to class. On the last DA meeting before break, Rose noticed Cho staring at Harry. Rose rolled her eyes and was the first to leave that night. She sat by the fire with Ron and Hermione and waited for him. He finally got to Gryffindor Tower a half an hour late.  
  
"Where have you been?" scolded Hermione.  
  
Harry shrugged. Rose rolled her eyes.  
  
"What happened? Did you kiss?" asked Ron.  
  
Rose laughed when Harry bashfully nodded.  
  
"Really?" she asked  
  
"What was it like?"  
  
"Wet," said Harry.  
  
Rose laughed, hysterically.  
  
"What the Hell have you been doing for a half an hour, then? Did a bed pop up in the Room?" asked Rose.  
  
Hermione glared at her.  
  
"You're not a very supportive sister, are you?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I'm sorry. Congrats, Harry, but kissing doesn't take a half hour."  
  
"We talked a bit," he said.  
  
"So, what did you do the rest of the time? That's it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well that's a boring date."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"If that's boring, then will you go out with me?" asked Ron.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because, I don't love you like that, Ron. You've become more like a brother."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why don't you and Hermione go out?"  
  
She looked at Rose, indignantly.  
  
"Excuse me! But wouldn't I have a say in the matter?"  
  
"Yes, I was just-"  
  
"I know what you were just! Good night!"  
  
Hermione stomped up the stairs to the girls' dorm.  
  
"I didn't think I was that bad of a guy," said Ron.  
  
'It's not you, I think she's just afraid of dating, that's all," said Rose.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"After you've witnessed my love life first hand, anyone would be afraid to date."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I'm going to bed, goodnight."  
  
She went upstairs, and was asleep almost immediately. She had a weird dream, the usual, her friends doing things out of character, and things like that. Then, she was in a dark room, completely alone, but she heard sounds, like something creeping toward her. She looked down, to check the time, and she wasn't herself. She wasn't surprised though. She looked up and saw a pair of glowing red eyes. She screamed as its teeth sunk into her side. She watched the blood flow from her body. Hermione ran over to her bed and shook her.  
  
"Rose! Rose! Wake up!"  
  
Rose's eyes shot open, she heard Harry and she jumped out of bed, grabbing at her bathrobe. She fell with a thud to the floor, tangled in her sheets. She kicked them off, grabbed her bathrobe, and ran out of their dorm, pulling it on. Professor McGonagall was rushing in, Neville behind her. Rose ran up the stairs behind her, as Harry explained his dream.  
  
"It was Mr. Weasley?" she asked, when he was done.  
  
"Yes," said Harry.  
  
"You were the snake?"  
  
"Yes, I said-"  
  
"I was Mr. Weasley."  
  
Ron stared at the two of them, confused.  
  
"Come with me, both of you. You, too, Weasley," said McGonagall.  
  
Harry and Ron put on their bathrobes and followed her to Dumbledore's office. They entered the office, and Dumbledore looked as though he'd been awake all night, and changed into pajamas just for them. Rose sat down on the chairs McGonagall had materialized for them, while Harry explained the dream. Ron was pale, and McGonagall was worried. Rose paid no attention, she was only thinking about how she was Mr. Weasley and Harry was the serpent, ad not the other way around, or why hadn't they just watched from the sidelines, or why did they dream it at all? She was so confused. Fred, George, and Ginny came into the office. Dumbledore handed them something, as a portkey. The six of them quickly touched the portkey, and they were transported into Sirius's kitchen. Sirius got everyone a butterbeer, and everyone sat quietly.  
  
"Let's go to St. Mungo's!" said Fred, standing up.  
  
"No, how would it look if you all burst in there when you aren't supposed to know yet," said Sirius.  
  
Fred got angry. Rose looked up at the two of them.  
  
"Both of you sit down. Fred, let's wait until your mum gets here, no one is going anywhere."  
  
Fred sat down, moodily. Rose put her head down, weak. Sirius put his hand on her back.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked.  
  
Rose sat up.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, I just haven't been sleeping a lot, and now this, the first time I sleep in ages."  
  
"And you haven't been eating much, either, lately," said Ron.  
  
"I have, I just don't eat a lot."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"Want me to make you something?" asked Sirius.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"No, I'm not hungry."  
  
"Good, because I can't cook."  
  
She laughed. They sat there for what seemed like forever until their trunks arrived, then Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"I've just been to see him," she said.  
  
"And how is he?" asked Ginny.  
  
"He'll be just fine, now all six of you will sleep, and we'll go see him later."  
  
They walked up the stairs, and most of them instantly fell asleep. Later that day they went to St. Mungo's. They went into Mr. Weasley's room. The Weasley's went into his room, Harry and Rose stayed outside, and Mrs. Weasley pulled them in. He smiled when he saw them.  
  
"Thank you, both," he said, jovial. "I don't know who to thank more. The one who was me, or the one who was the thing that bit me."  
  
Harry and Rose both put on a half- smile. Rose hadn't said anything since the discussion about her eating habits, and she wasn't thrilled about being reminded about her dream. Soon, they went back to Sirius's house, and Rose went up to the Drawing room, and sat in one of the chairs and fell asleep in the chairs. When she woke up, she saw Sirius sitting in the chair in front of her.  
  
"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" he asked.  
  
"Yea, why?" she replied, stretching.  
  
"Just wondering. Ron's been muttering about people who don't eat, and Ginny said that you could starve yourself if you wanted to, and Molly said no you couldn't, and that you were going to eat if it was the last thing she ever did."  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"I've never had a big appetite unless was upset, and I've just gotten off of that. I had to, staying with the Weasley's after Cedric, I couldn't have eaten in front of them, so I didn't. I've just been tired, so I spend breakfast and lunch sleeping, well trying to anyway. I'll eat dinner; I don't see why everyone's making this a huge deal.  
  
"We aren't. I was just wondering."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"I'm fine, would I lie to you?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She smiled sleepily, and threw a throw pillow at him. Later that day, when everyone was sitting in the Drawing room, they had just finished decorating the Christmas tree, Sirius burst in, dressed like Santa, with a large red bag. He sat down in the chair next to the Christmas tree. Remus came in with a camera, rolling his eyes at Sirius. Rose stood up to stand next to Remus, when Sirius grabbed her wrist and pulled her on to his lap.  
  
"And what do you want for Christmas, little lady?" he asked.  
  
Rose laughed, and looked at her brother.  
  
"Get over here, you sit on that knee for the picture," she told him.  
  
"I'll stand I'm not sitting in anyone's lap."  
  
"All right."  
  
Harry stood up and stood next to the chair and Remus took a picture, just as Rose pulled Sirius's fake beard off.  
  
"Hey!" he said. She got up, laughing at him. "Well, then, no presents for you."  
  
Rose shrugged.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Not even the one from me?" asked Remus, in a mock hurt voice.  
  
"I'll open all my presents, Sirius can't stop me."  
  
"Oh I can't?" asked Sirius, getting up.  
  
"Nope."  
  
Rose was grinning and Sirius was trying not to.  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Nope, I know so."  
  
"You think that."  
  
He walked toward her, and she ran and sat next to Mrs. Weasley, and buried her face in Mrs. Weasley's shoulder.  
  
"Mrs. Weasley! Sirius is gonna do something to me!"  
  
"No I wasn't," he lied obviously.  
  
"Sirius, Rose am I going to have to separate you two?" she pretended to scold, laughing at the two of them.  
  
"No, ma'am," said Sirius, sitting in his chair, pouting.  
  
Everyone laughed at them. Rose stuck her tongue at him as Mad Eye and Tonks came in.  
  
"Who's winning the maturity contest?" asked Tonks, now with red and green hair.  
  
"Rose, as always," said Remus.  
  
Rose smiled innocently.  
  
"Ha! I win!" Rose said to Sirius.  
  
Sirius mock- stomped out of the room, then he came back in, laughing. On Christmas, they went back to visit Mr. Weasley. When they were sent out, they listened with the Extendable Ears, listening to a conversation then they neither should have heard nor wanted to hear. Harry, Ron, Rose, Ginny and Hermione walked to the tearoom, but they didn't quite make it.  
  
"Professor Lockhart?" said Hermione.  
  
They all looked at the face pressed up against the fourth floor door.  
  
"Who?" asked Rose, as they were ushered into the ward by a kindly woman.  
  
"He was our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in our second year. He tried to put a Memory Charm on Harry and me and it backfired," said Ron.  
  
"They were rescuing me from the Chamber of Secrets," said Ginny, in reply to Rose's blank look.  
  
"Oh okay."  
  
Rose sat down next to Ginny, smiling and nodding at the former professor who was talking about joined- up writing. She sat there pretending to listen, nodding every now and then when he'd look at her.  
  
"Neville?" said Ron, suddenly.  
  
Rose, Ginny and Hermione looked up, and saw Neville, with a deer- in- the- headlights look on his face. Rose looked at him, as Neville's grandmother identified each and every one of them by name and a specific trait that Neville had obviously told her. Neville's mother came around a curtain and handed Neville a bubble gum wrapper. Neville's grandmother said something about him throwing it out. Rose watched silently as he slipped the wrapper in his pocket, she wanted to go to him and hug him and cry for him, as he left. Harry hadn't said anything either, so they turned their attention back to the indignant professor who was very attention- oriented. After Christmas, Sirius's mood went downhill. Sirius had begun to lock himself up with Buckbeak for hours at a time, sulking.  
  
"Well, I'd be upset, too, if I was alone in here, locked up with that horrible thing," said Rose.  
  
"Buckbeak isn't a 'thing.' He's a hippogriff," corrected Hermione.  
  
"I wasn't talking about Buckbeak, I meant Kreacher, then again, I'd rather be alone with padded walls and a straight jacket than with Kreacher in any vicinity, and with any amount of people."  
  
"Kreacher should be treated better! By you and everyone else! He is just misunder-"  
  
Rose lost it.  
  
"HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU, HERMIONE, THAT HOUSE ELVES DON'T WANT TO BE FREED? I THOUGHT YOU WERE SMART, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!"  
  
Rose stood up and stormed up to the girls' room where she threw things at things that couldn't be broken. Soon, she fell asleep. On the last day of break, Rose was helping Mrs. Weasley cook breakfast.  
  
"Now, when you're in school, try no to say anything you may regret to that horrid Umbridge woman," instructed Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Saying things isn't the problem anymore, it's now staying away from her!" said Rose.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Sirius walked grumpily in.  
  
"OH, Rose didn't tell you?" asked Fred, like he was surprised his mother didn't know.  
  
"Didn't tell me what?" asked Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Fred Weasley, if you say anything-I'll get you worse than before, George, the same goes for you," warned Rose.  
  
"Rose Potter, you'll tell me this instant!"  
  
"Tell you what, Mrs. Weasley?" asked Rose, innocently.  
  
"That thing Fred and George were talking about?"  
  
"What thing?"  
  
"You mean the thing where Rose walked out on Umbridge's class in October and hasn't gone back since?" said Fred.  
  
"I'll give you a three second head start," she whispered.  
  
Fred and George ran away, and Rose was about to run after them, but Mrs. Weasley stood in front of her, arms crossed, and a look of utmost anger on her face. Rose tensed up, and closed her eyes.  
  
"YOU LEFT CLASS?!?!" shouted Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Fred and George stood outside the kitchen, watching. Rose awaited her fate, prepared for the worst.  
  
"Yes ma'am," she said in her tiniest voice.  
  
"Why do you look like I'm going to beat you within an inch of your life?"  
  
Rose opened her eyes, but remained tense.  
  
"You mean you're not?"  
  
She wheeled around on Fred and George.  
  
"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN-"  
  
"I thought every family-" but that was as far as Rose got before Mrs. Weasley faced her again.  
  
"You mean he hit you?!?!"  
  
"He called it discipline, but it doesn't matter."  
  
Sirius jumped up, and sat Rose down.  
  
"Yes it does, why didn't you do anything, Rose?" he asked.  
  
"What was I supposed to do? Fight him? He was at least three times my size, I couldn't hurt him if I tried! And I couldn't report him because who would've believed me? I got into fights all the time, I was nearly expelled from school several times, I held the record for in school detentions. If I'd called Social Services he would have said that I'd gotten the black eye from some kid at school, and that I blamed it on him because he didn't want me out at all hours of the night. Truth was, I never left, because I was too afraid to ask him."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"And how do you propose I do that? 'Oh, by the way to you hit your children like he hit me?' It doesn't matter anymore, he's not near me anymore, he can't hit me now."  
  
Rose stood and left the kitchen, going up and locking herself in the bathroom.  
  
"Rose, you have to come out sometime," said Hermione, an hour later.  
  
"No I don't."  
  
"Rose, you have to go back to school," tried Tonks.  
  
"No I don't."  
  
"Faerie Rose Potter, if you don't come out right now, I will break the door down and pull you out."  
  
She unlocked the door, and opened it, her face inches from her godfather's.  
  
"I am fifteen years old, I am not a child, do not treat me as such!"  
  
Rose slammed the door in Remus's face.  
  
"Let me try, you all go away," said Ginny. Everyone left, and Ginny sat next to the door. "Rose, please come out, you have to come with us. Do you really want to stay with Kreacher until we come back this summer?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So then come out, no one will say anything, I promise. Mum's yelled at Fred and George not to tell whatever was said, and I know them, they won't unless you do something to them, and I know you won't. Please Rose, come out."  
  
Rose didn't reply for a minute.  
  
"Oh fine, Ginny."  
  
Rose unlocked the door, and came out. Ginny hugged her.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What's what?" asked Rose.  
  
"Something's wet on your new red shirt."  
  
Rose shrugged.  
  
"It's probably water."  
  
Ginny nodded, and they packed up to go back to Hogwarts by Knight Bus. When they got back to school, they immediately went into the Gryffindor Common room. Rose went up to the girl's dorms and locked herself into the bathroom. A few hours later, Hermione and Ginny went up into the dorm to get Rose for dinner.  
  
"Parvati, is Rose in here?" Hermione asked.  
  
"She's in the bathroom. She's been in there a while, at first she made these annoying squeaky noises, but she stopped, a while ago," replied Parvati.  
  
She got up and left, as Ginny and Hermione went to the bathroom. Ginny knocked.  
  
"Rose?" called Hermione.  
  
No reply.  
  
"Rose, are you all right?" tried Ginny.  
  
They looked at each other in a panic.  
  
"ALOHAMORA!" shouted Hermione, the bathroom door flew open. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Rose was lying on the floor of the bathroom, in a puddle of blood. Hermione ran out of the bathroom, screaming.  
  
"Help! Someone help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
A first year ran out of the common room, and McGonagall and Snape came running in.  
  
"What is the problem, Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall, climbing up the stairs.  
  
"It's Rose—she's—she's—" managed Hermione before breaking down in sobs.  
  
Both professors ran the rest of the stairs, and into the girl's bathroom, and saw Rose. McGonagall's knees weakened and she sat on Lavender's bed. Snape bent over her.  
  
"She's still alive," he said.  
  
He lifted her off the floor, and McGonagall cleaned up the blood. Snape carried her out of the common room, and quickly to the Hospital Wing. Hermione, Ginny and McGonagall slowly made their way down the staircase where Harry and Ron were waiting.  
  
"What was Sn—Professor Snape doing up here?" asked Harry, who had only seen him leave.  
  
"Where's Rose?" asked Ron.  
  
McGonagall swallowed.  
  
"Professor Snape just took her to the Hospital Wing."  
  
"Why?" asked Harry  
  
"She's hurt," said Hermione, sitting in a chair.  
  
"How?"  
  
Ginny shrugged, and somehow they all made it down for dinner, but then immediately went up to the Hospital Wing.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey?" said Hermione, walking into the Hospital Wing.  
  
"What?" she said, she looked up. "Oh, it's you. Come on in, she'll be fine, but I'm not so sure how she's going to feel."  
  
They looked at each other and went to sit next to her. Rose was sleeping with the same blood replenishing stuff Mr. Weasley had had at St Mungo's sitting next to her. Soon after they arrived, Dumbledore came into the Hospital Wing. He walked over to them. Malfoy was in the bed next to her complaining about food poisoning. ("You don't have food poisoning, Mr. Malfoy, it's the flu! There's a difference!" said Madame Pomfrey, shoving a spoonful of acid green liquid in his mouth.) Dumbledore smiled at Draco, then looked at Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny.  
  
"What happened to her, sir?" asked Ginny.  
  
"I do not know, only she does, and only she has the answers to her problems. And pretending to be asleep doesn't help, Miss Potter."  
  
She sighed, opened her eyes and sat up. Her arms were wrapped in bandages, and she was very pale.  
  
"You know, you really don't help when you do that 'I know everything' thing," said Rose.  
  
He just smiled.  
  
"You do realize that we must watch you at all times, now."  
  
"Why bother? It just delays the inevitable."  
  
"It will not be inevitable if I have anything to do with it."  
  
"Then don't have anything to do with it."  
  
He looked at her over his half moon spectacles.  
  
"What would your mother say?"  
  
"How the hell should I know?"  
  
"Point taken, point taken."  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked from one to the other, completely confused.  
  
"Well, it's not your fault, but honestly! That wasn't the best question to ask me."  
  
"What would Mrs. Weasley say, then?"  
  
"You wouldn't! No, you can't tell her!"  
  
He smiled.  
  
"No, no I'll leave that duty to you, shall I?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You feel better, and I'll see you in the morning." He turned to walk out. "Get well, Mr. Malfoy," he said to Malfoy and then he walked out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
"What was that about?" asked Harry.  
  
"Nothing," said Rose.  
  
"Well, it didn't look like nothing," said Hermione.  
  
"And it didn't sound like it, either," said Ron.  
  
"If I said it was nothing, then it was nothing," said Rose, finally.  
  
"What happened in the bathroom, Rose? Was it You- Know- Who?" asked Ginny.  
  
"No, Ginny, it wasn't Voldemort. Don't worry! See? I'm fine. No need to worry. You all go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"All right, but we'll be back after breakfast to see you," said Harry.  
  
They got up, reluctantly and left. Rose looked over at Malfoy, who was smiling.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" she snapped.  
  
"Why didn't you tell them?" he asked.  
  
"Tell them what?"  
  
"What happened."  
  
"What business of yours is it?"  
  
"None, just wondering why you would lie to your friends, that's all."  
  
She glared at him.  
  
"I didn't lie to them"  
  
"Sure, you didn't, and I should have been sorted in Hufflepuff."  
  
"I didn't! I just didn't tell them the entire truth, so what? Why are you sticking your snobby nose into my business?"  
  
"I was just thinking how you would have made a great Slytherin."  
  
"No, I really wouldn't have."  
  
She rolled over and went to sleep. Early the next morning, she woke up, the sun hadn't even risen yet.  
  
"You should still be sleeping," said a voice to her left.  
  
"I woke up."  
  
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Professor McGonagall was sitting in a chair next to her bed.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore told me what happened, but I want to hear it from your own lips," said the Transfiguration teacher, solemnly.  
  
"Hear what? That I hate myself? That I've wanted to kill myself for quite some time? That I just want everything to stop? What tell me, what do you want to hear?"  
  
Rose sat up, calmly, and looked at her teacher. McGonagall sighed.  
  
"I didn't want you to tell me that," she whispered.  
  
"Then I'm happy! I love life! I want to live forever!"  
  
Tears swelled in Rose's eyes.  
  
"Why didn't you ask for help?"  
  
"What's the point? To get attention? To have people make life out to be the best? To have people tell me that everything in my life's just fucking fine, when I still know it's not? To cover up all the bad parts with sugar to keep me from doing anything? I'm not stupid, I've gone through all this before, and quite obviously, it didn't help!"  
  
Tears rolled down Rose's cheeks, and her voice was higher than usual. McGonagall looked at her.  
  
"What about those of us you'd leave behind?"  
  
"You lived without me before, just think about it as me going back."  
  
"But we don't want you anywhere but here."  
  
"How do you know? I can name quite a number of people who would pay to watch me die."  
  
"Don't let him do this to you."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"V—V—Voldemort."  
  
"He's not doing it, I've just finally lost it!"  
  
"He does those things to you and Harry hoping you would destroy yourselves, and you're letting him win!"  
  
"I'll take one for the team!"  
  
Draco sat up.  
  
"There are those of us who are trying to sleep, you know," he said.  
  
Rose turned on him.  
  
"Shut your trap, lie down, roll over and pretend to be asleep," she growled.  
  
He rolled his eyes and laid back down. Rose looked back at McGonagall.  
  
"I thought you were stronger than this," she whispered.  
  
"Well, you thought wrong."  
  
Rose rolled over on her side and fell back to sleep. She woke up around lunchtime to see Malfoy whining to Pansy Parkinson and Crabbe and Goyle. Rose rolled her eyes and sat up. There was something on the table next to her. She picked up the bit of parchment next to the roses, and read.  
  
'Rose, please, don't do that again. Remember you can always talk to us.'  
  
She didn't recognize the handwriting, but she knew none of the professors would care to write to her, if they wanted they'd come and talk to her. She looked over at Malfoy, who might as well have been swooning, for as pathetic as he tried to look.  
  
"Hey, Malfoy, did you see who brought this?" she asked.  
  
"No, Madame Pomfrey said that you were sleeping and shouldn't be disturbed, although I think it's a bit late, and she brought them and put them there, but I didn't see who got them for you."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The Slytherins looked at her as though she'd gone insane. She stared at the flowers until the bell rang and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny came in.  
  
"Oh! Those are lovely!" said Hermione.  
  
"Do you know who brought them? The card doesn't say," said Rose, handing her the card.  
  
"No, I don't know, but there were a few people I didn't know today at lunch," said Ginny, handing the card to Harry.  
  
A number of people walked in.  
  
"Is she awake?" asked one of them.  
  
"Yes, yes, but she can't handle more than a few visitors at a time," they heard Madame Pomfrey say.  
  
Since it was only Rose and Malfoy in the Hospital Wing, Rose assumed that she was the 'she' they were referring to.  
  
"I think I'm just fine to handle visitors, Madame Pomfrey!" Rose called to her.  
  
Madame Pomfrey sighed, and let them in. Ron looked at the card, then at Rose.  
  
"I wonder who wrote this, 'cause it wasn't us."  
  
Rose looked at him and shrugged as the group of people stopped at the end of her bed.  
  
"I wrote it."  
  
Rose looked up.  
  
"Paxton! Tony! Josh! Greg!"  
  
They all hugged her.  
  
"How are you feeling?" asked Tony.  
  
"All right, what the Hell are you all doing here?"  
  
"Well, we got a letter—" began Paxton.  
  
"Carried by an owl," said Greg.  
  
"That told us that you were in need for friends from America, and we came," finished Josh.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"How did you all receive an owl? Not many people know much about me before I came here," said Rose.  
  
Josh sat down at the end of the bed, his blond hair in its usual stationary style. Tony smiled at her, his brown hair the same as she remembered. Paxton stood tall and muscular as ever. Josh, sat on the chair on her left. Greg stood there, arms crossed.  
  
"Well, it was addressed to the JV and Varsity Football teams and sent to the school. It said that someone needed some friends," said Tony.  
  
"And you four came? Why? I don't think I'm important enough to drop everything and just go to England for me."  
  
Paxton laughed, and reached over and hugged her.  
  
"You are important. I ran, well, not literally, home and began packing. Mom didn't want me to go anywhere until I told her what was going on. She'd heard me muttering something about you, and she wanted to come, so she came too," said Paxton.  
  
Rose laughed.  
  
"I love your mother." The four guys laughed. "Oh! I'm sorry. Guys these are my friends Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Ron Weasley, and this is my brother, Harry Potter. These are my friends from American Football: Josh Gibbons, Tony Matthews, Greg Lams, and Paxton Ridder."  
  
"We were wondering when you'd remember your manners," said Hermione.  
  
"Don't make me feel worse. At least this time you didn't remind me, like I'm a child."  
  
"You are a child."  
  
Rose rolled her eyes.  
  
"Who's that?" asked Greg, looking over at Malfoy.  
  
"No one important," said Rose.  
  
"Really? You must not like him then. You better watch out if that one doesn't like you, she'll take her grudge to the grave," said Tony.  
  
"Not necessarily!"  
  
"What about Trey?" asked Josh.  
  
"That was an uncalled for comment. I may not have been as much a part of the team as the rest of you, but I worked my ass off."  
  
"And such a nice ass it was," said Paxton.  
  
"WAS?!"  
  
Rose hit him with a pillow, laughing.  
  
"IS! IS! IS!"  
  
The bell rang.  
  
"We have to go," said Ginny.  
  
"But we'll be back later, promise," said Harry.  
  
"All right. If Umbridge asks, I'm still hiding in the library!" Rose called behind them.  
  
They laughed in response. Greg and Paxton sat in the seats that Ron and Hermione had been sitting in.  
  
"It isn't just us," said Paxton.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Rose, looking from one to the other.  
  
They grinned and Josh stood up and walked out of the room, then came back a minute later, with others behind him. Rose looked at all of them.  
  
"What da Hell do you think you're doin'?" asked an older man.  
  
Rose smiled sweetly.  
  
"Don't you give us that, missy," said a guy with brown hair and blue eyes.  
  
"I haven't been doing anything, Coach Ceirce, and whatever do you mean, Ben?" said Rose, innocently.  
  
"Th' Hell you haven't. What're you doin' in here, then?" Coach replied.  
  
"Relaxing, hiding from Umbridge, she's still sore from October, and she kicked my brother off the Quidditch team, that was NOT a nice thing to do, but hey! I'm beater, but Fred and George are better than me," rambled Rose.  
  
"Quidditch?" asked a tall brown haired guy with a huge afro..  
  
"It's our sport, Dan."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"We have a match coming up, you should watch."  
  
"When is it?" asked Paxton's mom, Mrs. Ridder.  
  
"I don't really know. Angelina does though. She's our captain."  
  
Draco coughed. They all looked at him.  
  
"Who's that?" asked one of the Smitty twins.  
  
"No one, important, Rob, no one important."  
  
Draco glared at her.  
  
"At least Slytherin can win," said Draco, humming a verse of Weasley is our King.  
  
"Only by cheating! You knew PERFECTLY well that Umbridge would ban Harry, Fred and George if they came at you! I think I should have attacked you, she's all ready got me in detention for the rest of my life, why not afterward, too?"  
  
"Why is it that you hang around with filth like the Weasley's and not us?"  
  
Rose grabbed her pitcher of water and threw it at Malfoy, but it stopped half way to him.  
  
"What the—"  
  
"Don't you finish that sentence," warned one of the other coaches.  
  
"Sorry, Coach.Michael," said Rose.  
  
Dumbledore walked in.  
  
"You really need to learn to control your temper, Miss Potter," said Dumbledore, stopping at the end of her bed.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Sorry, Professor, it's just—Mrs. Weasley has all but adopted Harry and me, so she might as well be our mum, so... when Malfoy insults the Weasley's, we react the same way as if he said something about Mum."  
  
Dumbledore looked at her over his spectacles.  
  
"Patience and kindness is the answer. I came down to see how you were reacting to the guests."  
  
"I'm surprised. They're Muggles, but how—"  
  
"I have allowed them, but Professor Umbridge need not know they're Muggles."  
  
Rose grinned.  
  
"Professor, I really do know a few people who could knock her off, and no one could ever figure out who did it."  
  
A few of her friends looked a little worried.  
  
"That will not be necessary."  
  
"Please! Please! Please!"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"No murders will me committed or even conceived in this castle."  
  
Rose sighed.  
  
"Fine." He laughed and left. Malfoy was looking at her. "Don't worry, I've all ready sent a few of them out on your dad, it'll be quick."  
  
His eyes widened, and she grinned, then burst out laughing.  
  
"Are you serious? Prof--"  
  
"No, I'm not. I'd rather do it myself. Did he tell you we met in the lift at the Ministry?"  
  
"Yes, he said you hit on him."  
  
She cracked up laughing, it took her a minute or two to calm down.  
  
"Hate to break it to you, Junior, but I believe he's the one you pinched my ass."  
  
"Did you report him?" demanded Mrs. D'Anto, mother of one of the sets of twin guys who were present, too, although they did not play football..  
  
"No, I can't! All summer they've been saying that Harry's a liar, Dumbledore's insane, and I'm a sleep- about, so they'd think that I was hinting at it, and crap like that."  
  
"Aww, honey," said Mrs. Ridder, hugging her.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"Thank you, but why did all of you come?"  
  
"We told you—" started Greg.  
  
"No, that's how you came to know, but WHY did you come here?"  
  
One of the D'Anto twins walked over to him, he had darker features than his brother.  
  
"Because we love you," he said, pinching her cheek.  
  
"Uh huh," she said sarcastically. "Anthony, please let go of my face."  
  
He released her cheek, and she rubbed the spot his fingers had been.  
  
"We came because one of our team was hurt and—" Travis, the shortest guy on the team, stopped at Rose's 'You are so full of it' look.  
  
"I'm fine," said Rose.  
  
The other D'Anto twin, Mike, walked over to Rose, and held out her wrist where everyone could see the blood on the gauze wrapped around her arm.  
  
"This doesn't look 'fine' to me," he said.  
  
She pulled her arm back.  
  
"Mike, that wasn't nice," said Rose, looking up at him, with tears in her eyes. She refused to cry, not in front of all of them. Malfoy laughed. She jerked her head toward him so quickly, he stopped laughing, mid- guffaw. She glared at him. "What is so funny, Malfoy?"  
  
"You, Potter, you want to look all innocent and sweet, when really you're evil, and a bitch!" he said.  
  
"I know."  
  
"So you admit it!"  
  
"Admit what?"  
  
"That you're a whore."  
  
"No! I'm not! I admitted I was a bitch, I said nothing about being a hoe."  
  
"What about Diggory?"  
  
"What about Cedric?"  
  
"Everyone knows you two—"  
  
"He was hesitant to kiss."  
  
"Oh! Is Cedric your boyfriend! Can we meet hi—" started Mrs. Lams.  
  
"No, he's not my boyfriend, not anymore."  
  
"Why, did he dump you?" joked Tony, elbowing her.  
  
"No, he was murdered."  
  
The Hospital Wing fell silent.  
  
"Who would do such a thing?" asked Mrs. Ridder.  
  
Rose looked at Malfoy who was ecstatic at her sorrow.  
  
"No one believed me when it happened, why should anyone believe me now?"  
  
"Was it You- Know- Who?" asked Mrs. D'Anto.  
  
Rose looked at her, her eyes wide.  
  
"How did you—"  
  
"Mike went to school here."  
  
Rose looked at Mike.  
  
"What House?"  
  
"The best!" said Mike.  
  
"Sly—" began Malfoy, proudly.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" said Mike, not even realizing Malfoy had opened his mouth.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"I'm in Gryffindor," said Rose, laughing.  
  
"How do you like, McGonagall?"  
  
"She's wonderful, and the one who decides how well I do here, I'd better like her."  
  
"Who's your favorite teacher?"  
  
"McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick, and Sprout."  
  
"Hagrid? What's he teach?"  
  
"Care of Magical Creatures. He's a bit on the interesting side when it comes to taste of animals, but that's what makes the class exciting. He thinks dragons are cute." Malfoy muttered something about hippogriffs. "Well, that was your fault, and it was only a scratch, didn't even leave a scar. Hagrid was just trying to make a good impression. You were being a jerk, and decided to ruin it, and try to get Buckbeak killed!"  
  
"How did you know—"  
  
"Hello! My brother and his two best friends tell me everything. They've filled me in on all three years I wasn't here."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"A hippogriff?" asked Mike.  
  
"Yea, but I never got to see one. I wasn't here."  
  
"Is Snape still mean?"  
  
"Especially to me and Harry, he knew our parents."  
  
"I'm guessing they didn't get along."  
  
"Does Snape get along with anyone? He hates Harry more than he hates me. Harry looks just like Dad, and Snape didn't like him. No one will say anything, all we know is that they didn't get along. For all we know Dad could have hung him upside down over the giant squid or something, or Snape tried to kiss Mum, and Dad got jealous, how are we supposed to know? Snape's always saying Dad was arrogant, big- headed, and he thought he was better than everyone else, well how do we know if he was really like that, or if Snape's anger towards my father just makes everything about him bad?"  
  
Rose saw someone out of the corner of her eye, and looked.  
  
"You don't know, do you?" said Snape, handing Malfoy his assignments.  
  
"Nope. And I never will, so it seems."  
  
They were looking in each other's eyes, determined not to blink.  
  
"And whose fault is that?"  
  
"Are you blaming me for my parents deaths?"  
  
"Did I say that?"  
  
"No, but you implied it."  
  
"You know nothing about your parents—"  
  
"Didn't I JUST say that?"  
  
"She did," said Mike.  
  
Snape snapped his head toward Mike.  
  
"Stay out of this," hissed Snape.  
  
"You can't tell him what to do."  
  
"Why am I arguing with a child?"  
  
Snape rolled his eyes and left.  
  
"God! I hate that man!"  
  
"Why?" asked Will, the other Smitty twin.  
  
"Because he's really mean, and he's bitter because NO ONE LIKES HIM!" she shouted after him. "And, I think he's still a virgin." They laughed.  
  
"Probably," said Mike.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"You all didn't have to come."  
  
"Yes we did," said Mrs. D'Anto.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because something happened to you, and you need our support," said Dan.  
  
Rose laughed.  
  
"I haven't seen you all for..." Rose counted on her fingers, "Nearly three years, why come to a letter that SAID I was hurt, or whatever it said."  
  
"It sent along the picture of all of us, too," said Josh.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Well, we came to see you anyways," said Paxton.  
  
They talked for a while longer, and then they went home, and Rose was left in the Hospital Wing with Malfoy. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Rose was soon released from the Hospital Wing, but she was constantly watched, although no one knew why. Rose never really spoke of it, even though everyone asked. The only one's she spoke of it were the guys from the football team. She even became closer to them than she had when she lived near them.  
  
"You'd THINK she'd tell us, or at least Harry, what's going on with her," Hermione mentioned when Rose was writing a letter instead of a paper.  
  
"Leave her alone, let her tell whomever the hell she wants to tell," said Ron.  
  
"It's okay Ron, let her nag, I'll never tell her if she keeps it up."  
  
"Did you tell Mrs. Weasley or Sirius or Remus?" asked Harry.  
  
"No, and I don't want you three mentioning it to them either."  
  
Hermione shook her head.  
  
"I promise," said Harry.  
  
"Me too," said Ron.  
  
Silence.  
  
"C'mon, Hermione."  
  
Rose stood up, and bent in really close to Hermione.  
  
"Don't piss me off, it would not be a... clever... thing to do," whispered Rose.  
  
Rose sat back down.  
  
"You wouldn't dare," hissed Hermione.  
  
Rose grinned.  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
She got up and left, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione watching her retreating figure. Harry sighed.  
  
"Why do you do that?" he asked.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Make her angry. One of these days she's just gonna beat the hell out of you, and Ron and I won't do anything, because we won't get in the middle of it. I won't choose between my friend and my sister, so don't make me."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes; Ron and Harry looked at each other and shrugged. Not soon enough, Harry's interview came out in the Quibbler. Nearly everyone in school was smiling at Harry, not many thought of him as a liar anymore. Rose smiled, she was proud of Harry, and glad for him. Cho was ignoring Harry; clearly their date didn't go so well. Rose smiled to herself. Rose didn't like her.  
  
At the next DA meeting, they were practicing Patronus Charms, when Dobby tugged on Harry's robes.  
  
"Hi Dobby! What are you—what's wrong?" Harry asked.  
  
Rose turned and looked at Harry and Dobby. Soon, everyone else stopped and watched Dobby.  
  
"Harry Potter, sir..." Dobby tried to tell him, but he wasn't sure if he could. "Harry, Potter sir... Dobby has come to warn you... but the House Elves have been warned not to tell..."  
  
Dobby ran to the wall, and began banging his head against it.  
  
"What's happened, Dobby?" asked Harry, trying to keep the House Elf from killing himself.  
  
"Harry Potter... she...she..."  
  
Dobby punched himself in the nose.  
  
"Who is 'she,' Dobby?"  
  
Rose ran to the front of the room, and looked at the Marauder's Map.  
  
"Harry! It's Umbridge! She's headed this way!" cried Rose.  
  
Everyone panicked and ran out of the Room of Requirement. Rose headed to the nearest bathroom, and stayed in there for a minute.  
  
"Potter, what are you doing in here?" asked Pansy Parkinson, walking behind her.  
  
"I was taking a piss, is that against one of the 'Decrees?'"  
  
Pansy pulled out her wand, and Rose pulled out her own.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Potter," said a new voice.  
  
"Malfoy what are you doing in—oh, never mind, I'd forgotten that you don't have a penis."  
  
Malfoy's face got red in anger, and Crabbe and Goyle grabbed her, forcing her wand out of her hand. Malfoy lifted Rose, carrying her over his shoulder, Rose kicking and screaming the entire way to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Fizzing—Whizbee," he managed.  
  
He went up the stairs, then into Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Let me go you son of a whore! I will make you so sorry you will regret the beginning of you family line ever existing! I will rip you to shreds, then feed you to an elephant! And I'll make sure you're still alive! I WOULD castrate you, but the thing is, you don't have a dick, so that's not possible! I will make you so miserable, you will WANT to kill yourself! Put me down you Damn, Mother Fucking, Shit- eating, Asshole! I hope you go to Hell!"  
  
"Rose!" scolded McGonagall.  
  
Malfoy dropped Rose, Malfoy left, and she looked around her. Harry, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley, Percy and another man were staring at her in shock. She grinned.  
  
"Americans," she heard Fudge mutter.  
  
"Better a foul- mouthed American than a pussy of a Brit!"  
  
McGonagall pinched Rose.  
  
"Do either of you know why you are here?"  
  
"Ye—"began Harry, defiantly, then he caught sight of Dumbledore. "No."  
  
"Yeah—no," said Rose, but in more of a sarcastic tone than Harry's rebel tone.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" asked Fudge.  
  
"Need a hearing aid?" McGonagall pinched her again. "Ow!"  
  
"No," Harry repeated.  
  
"You DON'T know why you're here?"  
  
"How many times do we have to say it?" McGonagall pinched her again. "Ow! This is child abuse!"  
  
"No, I don't," said Harry, ignoring his sister.  
  
"So you have no idea why Professor Umbridge has brought you to this office? You are not aware that you have broken any school rules?" asked Fudge, sarcastic and condescending.  
  
"School rules? No."  
  
"Or Ministry Decrees?"  
  
Fudge was getting angry, and both Harry and Rose were enjoying it.  
  
"Not that I am aware of."  
  
"So, it's news to you, is it, than an illegal student organization has been discovered in this school?"  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"I think, Minister, we might make better progress if I fetch our informant," Umbridge spoke up from behind him, heading towards the door.  
  
"Yes, yes, do."  
  
Rose watched her, then she focused on the door Umbridge walked out of. She came back with Cho's friend, who had her face in her hands. 'Hermione's jinx,' thought Rose, grinning. Rose watched Marietta as Fudge and Umbridge coaxed her into removing her hands. Written across her face in purple pustules was the word 'SNEAK.' Rose tried not to laugh.  
  
"Never mind the spots now, dear, just take your robes away from you mouth, and tell the Minister—" Marietta wailed and shook her head. "Oh, very well, you silly girl, I'll tell him. Well, Miss Edgecombe here came to my office shortly after dinner this evening and told me she had something she wanted to tell me. She said that if I proceeded—"  
  
Rose blocked out Umbridge's horrible voice, and glared at Marietta. She was gonna get it. Rose was never one for bullying, but when someone gets her friends and family in trouble, they'd better watch out.  
  
"Now," began Fudge, and Rose turned her attentions back to the conversation. "Will you tell me what happened at this meeting? What was its purpose? Who was there?"  
  
Marietta shook her head. Rose's mind went elsewhere as everyone around her continued talking.  
  
"I think you'll find you're wrong there, Delores," said Dumbledore.  
  
Harry elbowed Rose, noticing she wasn't paying attention. She looked at him, and nearly hit him back, when Fudge spoke.  
  
"Oho! Yes, let's do hear the latest cock-and- bull story ("'Cock- and- bull?' I wonder what he does on his weekends," Rose asked Harry.) designed to pull Potter out of trouble! Go on, then, Dumbledore, go on—Willy Widdershins was lying, was he? Or was Potter's identical twin in the Hog's head that day? Or is there the usual simple explanation involving a reversal in time, a dead man coming back to life, and a couple of invisible dementors?"  
  
Percy laughed, and Rose glared at him, had she made any noise, it would have sounded like an angry tiger.  
  
"We're not identical," she spoke up.  
  
"Wh—What?"  
  
"Harry... and... I.... are...not...identical," said Rose, slowly, as if he were even more stupid than he really was.  
  
"I heard you, but what--?"  
  
"You said Harry's identical twin. We're fraternal twins. There's no such thing as identical twins of the opposite sex. As you can tell, I'm a girl, and he is not. I'm smart, and he is not." Harry pushed Rose a little, he was desperately trying not to laugh at the smart ass he called his sister. "He's taller than me, I'm not. He has black hair, and mine is red. He has green eyes, and I have blue eyes." Rose opened her eyes really wide so Fudge could see. "We could go into further details, but I don't think you'd be interested."  
  
Dumbledore pretended Rose hadn't spoken, but she could tell he was laughing, on the inside. Rose noticed a book, lying open on a table, she noticed the pages flutter slightly, then it stopped. She watched it for a while, hoping the pages would do it again.  
  
"Do you have any evidence that these meetings continued?" asked Dumbledore, bringing Rose's attention back to him.  
  
Rose heard a rustle, then felt something brush her side. She looked at Harry, who was a good foot away from her, shrugged slightly.  
  
"Evidence? Have you not been listening, Dumbledore? Why do you think Miss Edgecombe is here?" asked Umbridge.  
  
"Oh, can she tell us about six months' worth of meetings? I was under the impression that she was merely reporting a meeting tonight."  
  
"Miss Edgecombe, tell us how long these meetings have been going on, dear," urged Umbridge, with a noticeable edge in her voice. "You can simply nod or shake your head. I'm sure that won't make the spots worse. Have they been happening regularly for six months?" Rose looked at Harry out of the corner of her eye, he looked as though he was going to be sick, but didn't want it to show. "Just nod, or shake your head, dear. Come on, now, that won't activate the jinx further..."  
  
Marietta shook her head. Umbridge looked slightly panicked.  
  
"I don't think you understood the question, did you, dear?" Umbridge tried. "I'm asking whether you've been going to these meetings for the past six months. You have, haven't you?"  
  
Again, Marietta shook her head.  
  
"What do you mean by shaking your head, dear?" asked Umbridge, becoming angrier by the second, and trying her hardest not to show it.  
  
"I would have thought her meaning was quite clear," interjected Professor McGonagall, severely. "There have been no secret meetings for the past six months. Is that correct, Miss Edgecombe?"  
  
Marietta nodded. Rose smiled to herself, 'Go Professor,' she thought.  
  
"But there was a meeting tonight! There was a meeting, Miss Edgecombe, you told me about it, in the Room of Requirement! And Potter was the leader, ("Which Potter?" Rose whispered to Harry, who shrugged.) was he not, Potter organized it, Potter—why are you shaking your head, girl?" Umbridge clawed for something to save herself.  
  
"Well, usually when a person shakes their head, they mean 'no.' So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign language as yet unknown to humans—"  
  
Rose looked at McGonagall. 'McGonagall-2 Umbridge-ZIP!' Umbridge grabbed Marietta, pulling her toward her, and began to shake her hard. Dumbledore stood, wand out, and Kingsley went toward Umbridge, who jumped away from Marietta, feeling as though she'd been burned.  
  
"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students, Dolores," Dumbledore was seriously angry.  
  
Rose pulled Marietta closer to her and Harry, away from Umbridge.  
  
"You want to calm yourself, Madam Umbridge, you don't want to get yourself in trouble now," Kingsley said, in this Vin Diesel 'I just woke up' kind of voice, which Rose found sexy.  
  
Rose looked at Marietta, whose eyes had sort of glazed over, and she looked at Harry, who shrugged. Rose tried to figure out what was wrong with her. Hermione wouldn't do THIS much to her, the spots were enough for Hermione, and then there was the weird rustling and then the something grazing her and Harry. Something didn't feel right to her. Rose stopped thinking about it when she saw Umbridge pull out a bit of parchment, and she instantly knew what it was.  
  
"The moment I saw Potter's name on the list, I knew what we were dealing with."  
  
"For God's sake which Potter? There happen to be two in the room!" said Rose angrily.  
  
"Excellent, excellent, Delores. And... by thunder..." said Fudge, ignoring her. "See what they've named themselves? Dumbledore's Army."  
  
Dumbledore took the parchment and looked at it, smiled.  
  
"Well, the game is up. Would you like a written confession from me, Cornelius—or will a statement before these witnesses suffice?"  
  
"Statement? What—I don't—?"  
  
Harry looked at McGonagall, and so did Rose. She and Kingsley looked at each other, fear written all over their faces, and Rose had to admit, she wasn't confident herself.  
  
"Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius. Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army," he said, still smiling.  
  
"But—but—"Fudge said, understanding, then backed into the fire. He shouted, and put out the fire that had caught his cloak. "You?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"You organized this?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"How many times does he need things repeated?" Rose whispered to Harry.  
  
"You recruited these students for—for your army?"  
  
"Tonight was to be the first meeting, merely to see whether they would be interested in joining me. I see now that it was a mistake to invite Miss Edgecombe, of course."  
  
Rose's mind ran. What was going to happen now? How was Dumbledore gonna get out of this? If they take him, what will happen to Hogwarts? A million questions and a billion possible answers flashed through her mind.  
  
"No—Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, bringing Rose's mind back to the office.  
  
"Be quiet, Harry, or I am afraid you will have to leave my office," said Dumbledore.  
  
"Yes, shut up, Potter! Well, well, well—I came here tonight expecting to expel Potter, and instead—"said Fudge, grinning like an idiot, and trying not to squeal like an excited little girl.  
  
"Instead you get to arrest me. It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon, isn't it?"  
  
"Weasley! Weasley, have you written it all down, everything he's said, his confession, have you got it?"  
  
Rose's eyes flashed in anger. McGonagall noticed this, and put her hand on Rose's shoulder.  
  
"Yes sir, I think so, sir!"  
  
"Yes, sir, can I do anything else for you sir? Can I service you when we get back to the Ministry sir? Can I wash your dog, sir? Please sir? Can I lick your ass, while I'm down here, sir?" said Rose, loudly, mocking Percy.  
  
Percy glared at her. Fudge ignored her.  
  
"The bit about how he's been trying to build up an army against the Ministry, how he's been working to destabilize me?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I've got it, yes!"  
  
"Very well, then, duplicate your notes, Weasley—," began Fudge.  
  
"Stop calling him that," muttered Rose.  
  
"What?"  
  
"STOP CALLING HIM THAT!" she shouted, finally losing her temper.  
  
"What do you propose I call him?" he laughed.  
  
"HE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A WEASLEY!" Percy looked at her, open- mouthed. "HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BREATHE!"  
  
McGonagall touched Rose's shoulder trying to calm her down. Rose looked to Dumbledore, who nodded slightly, and put his finger on a book on his desk. Fudge turned back to Percy.  
  
"As I was saying, duplicate your notes, and send a copy to the Daily Prophet at once. If we send a fast owl we should make the morning edition!" Percy ran out of the office. "You will now be escorted back to the Ministry, where you will be formally charged and then sent to Azkaban to await trail!"  
  
"Ah, yes. Yes I thought we might hit that little snag," said Dumbledore.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"Snag? I see no snag, Dumbledore!"  
  
"Well, I'm afraid I do."  
  
Harry looked at Dumbledore, then at Rose, he caught on.  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Well—it's just that you seem to be laboring under the delusion that I am going to—what is the phrase? 'Come quietly.' I am afraid that I am not going to come quietly at all, Cornelius. I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course—but that a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing."  
  
Rose's smile evolved to a grin. She knew what was coming. She noticed the man next to Kingsley reach into his pocket.  
  
"Don't be silly, Dawlish, I'm sure you are an excellent Auror, I seem to remember that you achieved 'Outstanding' in all your N.E.W.T.s, but if you attempt to—er—'bring me in' by force, I will have to hurt you."  
  
"So, you intend to take on Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Delores, and myself single- handed, do you, Dumbledore?"  
  
"Merlin's beard, no, not unless you are foolish enough to force me to."  
  
"He will not be single-handed!" shouted McGonagall, pulling out her wand.  
  
"Oh yes he will, Minerva! Hogwarts needs you."  
  
"Enough of this rubbish! Dawlish! Shacklebolt! TAKE HIM!"  
  
Rose looked at McGonagall, then a sliver light flashed around the room, a bang, and the floor shook. Rose heard Harry hit the floor, then a leg knocked her legs out from under her, and she fell to the floor with a hard thud. The portraits screamed, Fawkes screeched, a body fell with a crash, a shriek , another thud, someone screaming, "No!", breaking glass, scuffling footsteps, a moan, then nothing. Rose saw McGonagall, herself, Harry and Marietta on the floor. Rose lay on her back, and looked up at the ceiling, when she noticed a figure moving toward them in the dust.  
  
"Are you all right?" came Dumbledore's voice.  
  
"Yes!" said McGonagall, getting Harry and Marietta to their feet, and Harry helped Rose to hers.  
  
Rose and Harry looked at the wreckage that was Dumbledore's office. His desk was knocked over, the tables on their sides, their objects strewn and broken on the floor. Rose was amazed at the carnage of Dumbledore's usually tidy office. He said something to Harry, then left. Rose ran quickly behind his desk, the only thing the book said was. 'Knock three times, then meow.' She went back to her spot next to McGonagall, who looked at her strangely. The Ministry employees awoke and frantically began their search for Dumbledore.  
  
After that night, Dumbledore's office sealed itself, and would allow no one in. Umbridge took over the school, and Rose spent ALL of her free time in the Common Room. Fred and George sat on either side of her while she was staring into the fire one night.  
  
"We have a proposition for you," said Fred, on her left.  
  
"What is it?" asked Rose.  
  
"We have decided that we don't care anymore, and have decided to cause mass chaos for our new... Headmistress," said George.  
  
"Go on."  
  
They told her the plan and she was only too happy to get in on it. Rose saw Harry being taken to Umbridge's office. She looked at Fred and George, and nodded, they grinned in return.  
  
BOOM!  
  
The floors of Hogwarts shook. Rose heard Filch shouting, and Umbridge joining him seconds later. Rose, Fred and George were right outside of the corridor, in a room, to which the door was hidden behind the tapestry. The door opened and they froze.  
  
"Damn," whispered Rose.  
  
Harry walked in, grinning from ear to ear, and the three troublemakers breathed.  
  
"Impressive, very impressive... You'll put Dr. Filibuster out of business, no problem..."  
  
"Cheers! Oh, I hope she tries the Vanishing them next... They multiply by ten every time you try..." said George, wiping tears of mirth from his face.  
  
"And we could have never done it without your beautiful troublemaker of a sister," said Fred, making Rose blush.  
  
They all laughed.  
  
"I'm dropping out if Dumbledore doesn't come back," she told Ginny one night.  
  
"Don't you dare! You better not leave me here alone, or I'll hunt you down, Faerie Rose Potter," she said.  
  
Rose was taken aback.  
  
"All right, all right, I won't. My Lord, you even used my first name, damn!"  
  
Harry came into the Common Room.  
  
"Hey Rose, let's go," he said.  
  
She nodded, and stood up.  
  
"I'll be back later, Gin."  
  
She followed her brother to Snape's office, where the Potions professor was grumbling angrily. They had their next Occlumency lesson until there came a knock at the door, and Malfoy came in. Rose looked at Harry and made silly faces at him until he noticed her, and laughed. Snape glared and left his office. On their way out, Harry saw Snape's Pensive.  
  
"Harry, no, he'll kill you," urged Rose.  
  
"C'mon, what's the harm?"  
  
"The damage Snape could do that can't be fixed by magic."  
  
"Not if he doesn't catch us."  
  
Rose sighed.  
  
"All right, but let's be quick about it."  
  
The two looked closely into Snape's Pensive and found themselves at Snape's O.W.L. testing, twenty years before. Rose watched her father, Sirius and Remus carefully, the words not reaching her mind, but watching them in awe. Then, she saw her mother, and almost began to cry. All too soon, she felt herself being pulled from them. The first thing she saw was Snape's face, white, he was seriously livid, for lack of a stronger word. Rose gulped and thought of a plan to get her out of trouble, or get Snape to forget about the current problem at hand. Harry quickly left, and Snape sat behind his desk, fuming. Rose walked over to his desk, and sat on it, tossing her jean jacket on the chair Harry had been sitting on.  
  
"What do you want, Potter?"  
  
"I thought he'd never leave," she muttered.  
  
"I said—!" he looked up and saw Rose, leaning forward a little, her cleavage showing slightly.  
  
She pushed a lock of his hair out of his face, his rage was replaced by utmost fear. She laid back on his desk.  
  
"Take me!" she cried.  
  
"Wh—what?"  
  
She sat up.  
  
"You're right. You're always right. We should wait until I'm eighteen. But—oh those nights of detention I've wanted to tell you! I'm in love with you! It must be the way you talk to me, no one has ever spoken to me that way!"  
  
"What?" he repeated.  
  
She hopped off his desk, and bent over so her breasts were nearly in his face.  
  
"I am sorry for the pain my family has caused you, I only want to make it up to you," she whispered in his ear, then made a slutty showing of walking out the door.  
  
Once she got to Gryffindor Tower, she burst out laughing, everyone there looking at her as though she'd gone insane. Rose ran to find Ginny, took her onto the roof, and told her the entire hitting on Snape story, leaving the Pensive out. Ginny cried with laughter for a good hour, until they both went inside to bed. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
Spring Break was just a day away, and no one showed signs of going home.  
  
"I've got schedules for us all over break," said Hermione.  
  
Ron and Harry looked over their schedules.  
  
"Why have I got every evening off?" asked Ron.  
  
"Quidditch. Why aren't you looking at yours, Rose?"  
  
"I thought I told you. I'm not staying for Spring Break," said Rose, looking around the Common Room, and leaning in slightly.  
  
"Where are you going?" whispered Ron.  
  
She leaned closer, but not enough to make it obvious.  
  
"I thought Sirius might need some company, so he doesn't begin to like Kreacher."  
  
"He's not right in the head! It's not his fault!" defended Hermione.  
  
"Sirius isn't insane... yet."  
  
"Not Sirius, Kreacher."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Aren't you going to study?"  
  
"Of course, but if I stay here I'll be in a room with padded walls, and be wearing a straight jacket by the end of the week."  
  
Harry and Ron laughed, and Hermione crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. A while later, after dinner, Ron and Hermione were arguing as always, and Harry slowed down with Rose.  
  
"How come you didn't tell me?" he asked.  
  
"I thought I did."  
  
"No, are we—"  
  
"You can, but I don't really know Sirius, and you've had all this time with him, and I haven't, and—"  
  
"Oh, okay. You go, I'll stay here."  
  
"You don't have to—"  
  
"Yes I do. You go. I've had plenty of time with him, now it's your turn."  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"All right."  
  
She left for London on the Hogwarts Express the following day. She magically changed her hair color to blonde, and her eyes to brown, and she put on three-inch spike heels, black leather pants, and a red, v-neck halter-top. She brought a gym bag, charmed to fit everything, to make her less conspicuous. She walked toward the door as the train slowed. When the train stopped, the doors opened and she got off with only an handful of other students, she walked through the barrier and got lost in the crowd, then she headed for the Muggle buses and got on one that would take her about two miles from Sirius's and she'd walk from there. She pulled a map out of her bag, it was a map of the two square miles around Sirius's house, but to anyone but her it was a regular map of London. It was similar to the Marauder's Map, except it only said, "Rose", "Sirius", "Muggle", "House Elf", "Dog", "Cat", and various other animals. She'd check it every five minutes or so, just in case. Finally, she made it to Grimmauld Place. She stood in front of where Sirius's house was supposed to be and watched it reveal itself. She walked up onto the porch, and walked in. A hand shot out of the darkness and pinned her to the wall, choking her.  
  
"Who are you?" the man growled.  
  
"Sirius?" she managed.  
  
"Rose?"  
  
He let go of her and she fell, coughing to the floor.  
  
"Yep, it's me."  
  
He fell of his knees in front of her.  
  
"I'm so sorry! You surprised me, then I didn't recognize you—Damn it to hell."  
  
She smiled, and they got to their feet. Rose threw her bag at him, he put it on the floor, then tickled her, she screamed with laughter, and then jumped on his back. He carried her into the kitchen where Remus was now sitting.  
  
"Sirius, you weren't supposed to leave," he said, pointedly looking at Rose on his back.  
  
She jumped off, nearly falling off her heels.  
  
"I didn't," said Sirius, grabbing her around her waist to prevent her from falling.  
  
"Then where did you get her?"  
  
Rose sat on the table, in front of Remus, and put on a bubbly, high voice.  
  
"There's TWO of you! Ah! The more the merrier!" Both men stared at her, as she began to laugh, then she spoke as she normally did. "HONESTLY, Remus, do I really look THAT bad? I thought I looked good, and anyway I just walked two miles in spike heels, be nice!"  
  
"Rose?"  
  
Remus was shocked, to say the least.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I knew you were coming, but—incognito?"  
  
"Well, it was just a precaution."  
  
"Damn good one. Finite."  
  
Rose's hair was red again, and her eyes were blue.  
  
"I'll start dinner."  
  
"I can't stay, I just—"began Remus.  
  
"Let's talk in the den," said Sirius.  
  
Both men left the kitchen, as Rose went into the pantry and found exactly what she was looking for. Just as she filled to glasses up with butterbeer, Sirius walked in, and she stirred the spaghetti sauce.  
  
"That smells great," he said, sitting on the counter next to her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She put the food on two plates, and they sat down to eat.  
  
"You didn't have to do this."  
  
"Sirius, I'd do anything for you. Dinner's the least of it."  
  
He smiled. Kreacher crawled under the boiler onto his bed.  
  
"So, how's school?" he asked, slightly mocking Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"I'm gonna kill myself, or possibly Umbridge, she's horrible."  
  
Sirius laughed.  
  
"That bad?"  
  
"Yes, I've just stopped going to class, as you know."  
  
"Yes, but you shouldn't have, and I shouldn't be laughing."  
  
"I know, but grr--! She makes me so mad! So how's being cooped up here?"  
  
"I miss women," he said, leaning back on the back two legs of his chair.  
  
She laughed.  
  
"What else?"  
  
"I really want you and Harry to come and live with me."  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"We will, we just have to clear your name first."  
  
Rose stood up and took both plates.  
  
"That was the best meal I've ever had."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"You want some more?"  
  
"Nah, that's all right."  
  
He grabbed their glasses, followed her to the sink and began washing dishes. Sirius took the wet dishes from Rose and dried them.  
  
"Do you ever do dishes?"  
  
"Never."  
  
She laughed and flicked soapy water at him, he rolled up the towel and hit her on the backside.  
  
"You did not!" she said.  
  
"Oh but I did."  
  
He rolled it up again and she ran away, pretending to be afraid, Sirius not far behind her. He caught up with her and got her again.  
  
"Tell me," she said, backing away from him, "something you've never told anyone else before, and I'll tell you something."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"You first."  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
"Fine," he sat on the sofa, and Rose sat next to him. "If I had been gay, I would have been in love with your father."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"D-d-d-d-dad?"  
  
"Now you."  
  
"I have been asked to strip for some guys, and once, I actually did."  
  
He raised and eyebrow.  
  
"Really? Care to demonstrate?" She threw a pillow at him, and walked back into the kitchen, to finish the dishes. Sirius followed her. "Sensitive subject?"  
  
"No, it's just— I wasn't prepared to strip for my brother's godfather."  
  
He laughed, she faced him and they caught each other's eyes. Rose leaned toward him and they kissed. She put her hands on his abs. He slipped his tongue in her mouth. She slid her hand underneath his shirt, along his abs and his chest; she could feel his heart pounding. He ran his fingers through her hair, and lifted her up onto the counter. Neither noticed Kreacher leave the kitchen in disgust. After a few hours of you-know-what, they heard something.  
  
"Sirius? Are you there?" Mrs. Weasley called down the hall.  
  
The both looked at each other, panic crossing their faces, as they quickly grabbed their clothes and got dressed. Rose sat up on the counter and quickly fixed her hair. Sirius noticed their undergarments lying in plain sight on the floor. Sirius quickly grabbed them and tossed them to her and she threw them into the closest cabinet as Mrs. Weasley walked in.  
  
"Here you are! What are you two still doing up? It's nearly midnight!"  
  
"We were just getting to know each other better," said Rose, not looking at Sirius.  
  
"Well that's fantastic! I'm glad you're getting to know one another so well!"  
  
"Well, I'm off to bed, so you two can talk."  
  
Rose jumped off the counter and walked up the stairs.  
  
"So the filthy half breed is back!" spat Sirius's mother.  
  
Rose pulled the curtain shut as she walked past. She went into Sirius's parents' room to see Buckbeak. When she was allowed to approach him, she saw Kreacher trying to hide.  
  
"What are you doing in here, Kreacher?" asked Rose, stroking Buckbeak.  
  
"Nothing, Miss half breed, disgracing the name of wizard and defiling the House of Black."  
  
"I don't think Sirius wants you in here." Kreacher walked out, grumbling about Rose. Buckbeak glared at Kreacher's retreating back. "I don't like him either, but I wouldn't eat him if I was you. He'd give you a terrible stomach ache, and you'd be mad sick."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Yeah, he's—"  
  
She looked at Buckbeak, and then looked to her right, at the door.  
  
"Did you think it was Buckbeak talking?" asked Sirius.  
  
"Only for a split second. Kreacher was in here."  
  
"I figured since he came into the kitchen mumbling about half breeds, disgusting creatures, and defiling the house."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"That sounds right, he was bitching about the same things when he left here. I don't trust him."  
  
"Neither do I, but hat can be done?"  
  
"I can kill him, that'd be easy. Tell him to keep his mouth shut and not so much as a hint or an eye movement about everything that goes on in the Order, or we'll kill him, but won't put his head on the wall."  
  
They laughed.  
  
"Good idea, I'll do that."  
  
"Well, I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Rose walked past Sirius, and up to her room. She changed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. The next morning she went down to the kitchen where Remus, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Mad Eye Moody, and Sirius were sitting.  
  
"Oops sorry," said Rose, turning around to go back upstairs.  
  
"We were just talking, nothing important," said Tonks.  
  
Rose walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Anyone want breakfast?"  
  
"I'll do it, dear," said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"You do too much, I'll do it. Anyone here have any allergies?"  
  
"I'm allergic to Snape," said Sirius.  
  
Rose rolled her eyes.  
  
"Who isn't? Anyone else?"  
  
"Full moon," said Remus.  
  
She laughed.  
  
"All right, eggs and bacon it is."  
  
Everyone laughed, and Rose made breakfast for them all and she made them eat it, and drink Orange Juice before leaving.  
  
"Yes, mother," said Charlie.  
  
Remus, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Sirius laughed, and Mad Eye Moody smiled.  
  
"Don't get me started on you five. At least Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, and Professor Moody finished their breakfast," scolded Rose, trying not to smile.  
  
"Now what about you?" asked Sirius.  
  
"I saved me some bacon."  
  
"What about eggs?" asked Tonks.  
  
"I don't like eggs."  
  
"Then why do you eat them when I make them?" asked Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Well, I eat whatever I'm given. I never EVER tell someone I don't like what they made. It's not polite."  
  
"Well, it seems those Americans did teach you something."  
  
Rose took Tonks's plate to the sink.  
  
"Yeah," Rose said quickly, realizing she hadn't replied immediately.  
  
"What else did they teach you?" asked Remus.  
  
"They didn't teach me anything, I learned."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing. Finish eating and off to work with you."  
  
Tonks, Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, and Mad Eye Moody Apperated out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley took her own plate and her husband's to the sink.  
  
"Rose—," she began.  
  
"I've got that, Mrs. Weasley. You go home."  
  
"That was a great breakfast," said Mrs. Weasley, hugging Rose.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No, thank you."  
  
Mrs. Weasley Apperated home. Remus and Sirius looked at her.  
  
"What?" she demanded as she dried the dishes and put them away.  
  
"Nothing. How's school?" asked Remus.  
  
"Suicide or murder, not sure which."  
  
"Whose?"  
  
"Dunno that either. Me or Umbridge."  
  
"Umbridge, we like you too much," said Sirius.  
  
Rose smiled.  
  
"Well, if I kill Umbridge, then I'll be sent to Azkaban."  
  
"We'll get you out."  
  
Sirius grinned. She shook her head. After Remus left, there was an awkward silence and Rose muttered something about studying.  
  
"Need help? I'll relearn everything, I'm so bored," said Sirius.  
  
Rose laughed at took her things into the kitchen and studied for O.W.L.s with Sirius's help.  
  
"I didn't do too bad at my O.W.L.s, I liked after them better though, well, I did at the time."  
  
"I know. Harry and I saw Snape's memory about that."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"That was mean. On yours, Dad's and Snape's parts."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, Mum was trying to help him, and he insulted her. You'd think he'd take her help, and have the upper hand over Dad with Mum on his side."  
  
"I never thought about that."  
  
"Then again, if he had, he'd be my dad instead of Dad."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"I'm always right."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
He laughed, and she threw her notes on Giant Wars at him. He stood up, Rose slowly stood, and Sirius chased her around the table, and then she ran upstairs. Sirius cornered her in his room. He tickled her and she screamed with laughter. When he stopped, she collapsed on his bed, then she sat up, Sirius standing in front of her. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him on top of her, and they began to kiss. Sirius kissed Rose's neck and shoulders, and she ran her hand thru his hair.  
  
"Sirius? Rose?" called Tonks.  
  
"Are we ever going to be left at it?" Sirius whispered.  
  
Rose laughed, and they both scrambled to get dressed.  
  
"I'm helping Sirius clean," Rose called back as she fixed her hair quickly in the mirror.  
  
"You look great for that much of a hurry," said the mirror.  
  
Rose blushed and Tonks and Mad Eye Moody walked in. Rose pretended to dust with a dust rag that was sitting on Sirius's bureau.  
  
"Can we talk?" asked Mad Eye.  
  
Sirius looked at Rose.  
  
"Go for it, I'll finish cleaning," she said.  
  
"No, all four of us," said Tonks. "That includes you Rose."  
  
Rose nodded, Tonks and Mad Eye turned and walked out. Sirius and Rose followed. They walked into the kitchen, Sirius and Rose acted as though nothing was going on, and everyone sat down around the table.  
  
"We've heard that there is some evil goings- on in San Francisco," said Tonks, getting right to the point.  
  
"California?" asked Rose.  
  
"Yep," said Moody.  
  
"What kind of evil?" asked Sirius.  
  
"We don't know, but the evil vibe has just soaked the city," said Tonks.  
  
"Has someone gone to check it out?" asked Rose.  
  
"No, because there is a good force, trying to keep it in check, and if we interfere, we might be mistaken for evil."  
  
Rose nodded.  
  
"That's all we really needed to tell you about," said Moody.  
  
"All right," said Rose.  
  
"When are you going back to Hogwarts, Rose?" Tonks asked.  
  
"Saturday."  
  
"Are you ready for your O.W.L.s?"  
  
"Yes, and if I study any more my head will explode!"  
  
They laughed, and Tonks and Moody left, the same second as Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Charlie came in.  
  
"I thought I'd make you two lunch!" she said, and went to work making it.  
  
Bill and Charlie sat down with Rose and Sirius.  
  
"Hey guys," said Rose.  
  
"Hey Rose," they said in unison.  
  
After lunch the Weasley's left, Rose and Sirius went back to studying, hoping no one else would come. After about fifteen minutes, Rose and Sirius caught each other's eyes, then they pushed all of Rose's things on the floor and Rose climbed over the table, and pulled Sirius's shirt off, and he kissed her forcefully, unbuttoning her jeans, and pulling them back off. He climbed on the table, on top of her, and they went at it again.  
  
"How long do you think we have?" Rose asked as Sirius threw his own pants on a chair.  
  
"Who knows?"  
  
He kissed her on the lips, then her neck, then her shoulders, and so on. After an hour they stopped.  
  
"So no one can interrupt us," Rose explained, putting her clothes back on.  
  
"Oh all right."  
  
Sirius sighed, and put his clothes back on, too. Twenty minutes later, Remus got there.  
  
"Told ya," Rose whispered when Remus called their names.  
  
Sirius laughed and kissed her quickly.  
  
"I love you," he whispered.  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
Rose and Sirius went back to studying, and Remus helped them. Rose made dinner later that night for the three of them, then Remus went home around eleven, after Rose had gone upstairs to her room. She listened and waited for Remus to leave. She heard Sirius climb the stairs and walk down the hall, then stop just before her room, then turn around and go back to his room. Rose opened her door, and looked down the hall, and knocked on Sirius's door. There was no reply, so she opened the door. Sirius was lying on the bed, reading a bit of parchment. She walked to the end of the bed, and crawled up to him, taking the parchment, setting it on his bedside table, and kissing him. He grinned.  
  
"I thought you were asleep."  
  
"Good, you were supposed to, at least Remus was."  
  
He laughed. Rose slowly unbuttoned Sirius's shirt with her teeth, then he pulled it off. . Around five AM, they stopped, and talked for a while. Rose laid on her side, facing Sirius, lying in his arms, her head on his shoulder, hands on his chest.  
  
"I want five kids," said Sirius.  
  
"Five?"  
  
"Yes, five, maybe more, depending on how many you want to have."  
  
"What if I don't want to have any?"  
  
"Too bad."  
  
Sirius kissed her shoulder, biting her a little. They laughed.  
  
"So you want me to have your children?"  
  
"Yep, and I want all girls, all of them looking like you."  
  
"Naw, I don't want any girls. Boys only, and they all should look like you."  
  
"How come you don't want any girls?"  
  
"I don't like girls, I like boys, I understand them better than I understand girls."  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"I dunno. I guess its because I always hung around boys instead of girls."  
  
"So that's why I love you so much, you understand me."  
  
"No, no one understands you, it's only because I'm the only female who'll get near you in this vicinity."  
  
"Sure," he said sarcastically.  
  
He rolled over on top of her and tickled her, she screamed in laughter.  
  
"Mercy! Mercy!"  
  
He growled, grinning. Rose laughed, and kissed him.  
  
"Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
He smiled, a glint in his eyes that wasn't there before.  
  
"You know what?"  
  
"What?" Rose asked.  
  
"You have made me the happiest man alive."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really."  
  
They kissed again.  
  
"How are we going to tell everyone?"  
  
"I haven't thought about that."  
  
"Clearly, because there IS a twenty year difference between the two of us."  
  
"I guess we'll wait until you're eighteen to announce it."  
  
"We have to wait two years and three months to say anything? That's not fair to us."  
  
"I know, but you can't say anything now, because you aren't supposed to know where I am, and because you're under eighteen. Molly would have my ass if she found out about us."  
  
"Mine too."  
  
They talked for a little while longer, then they heard Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. Rose grabbed her clothes and sneaked back into her room, quickly putting on her bathrobe, and walking down to the kitchen.  
  
"Good morning, Rose!" said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Morning, Mrs. Weasley," said Rose, not showing any signs of fatigue.  
  
Sirius came down, fully dressed, smiling.  
  
"Morning Molly!" he said.  
  
"Good morning Sirius."  
  
The others soon came in, talking and Rose helped with breakfast, and soon everyone was done, and Sirius helped Rose clear off the table, while the others chatted on.  
  
"What are you wearing under that bathrobe?" he whispered, not even looking at her, trying not to make them noticeable.  
  
"See for yourself."  
  
She turned toward him slightly, and he looked down her bathrobe, where it was coming loose around her neck and chest, and saw nothing but her breast.  
  
"Don't do this to me," he whispered.  
  
She smiled and put her foot up the bottom of his pant leg, and rubbed his leg with her foot. Rose saw Remus look at them.  
  
"Now its my turn for a joke. There were these three guys in a bar, in a skyscraper, high above the city. Two drinkers, and the bartender, and one guys looks at the other guy, and says, 'I can jump out the window and come back in here in a matter of seconds.' The other one doesn't believe him, so he says, 'Prove it.' So the first guy jumps out the window, and seconds later, he walks through the bar door. The second guy says, 'Wow, let me try.' So the guy jumps out the window, and falls to his death, and the bartender says, 'Damn, Superman, you're a real jackass when you're drunk.'"  
  
They all laughed, because Rose had introduced them all to the wonderful world of American Muggle comic books: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League of America, X-Men, The Hulk, Spiderman, Daredevil, The Avengers, and others. Sirius looked at her, confused, when they had all gone back to talking.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Remus looked."  
  
He nodded, and they rejoined the rest. That night, when no one was watching, Rose took Sirius's sweatshirt that she'd borrowed, and put it in her bag. That Friday night, Rose and Sirius lay in his bed, Rose in his arms, neither speaking. Rose sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't want to go back. Umbridge is causing havoc; she's given Slytherins more power than some of the teachers. That, and I'm much too comfortable where I am right this second."  
  
He kissed her shoulder.  
  
"I don't want you to leave, either, but you HAVE to go back to school."  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Fine, but I'm coming back here the day of break, and we are not going to move all summer."  
  
He grinned.  
  
"What about Harry?"  
  
"What about him?" Sirius tickled her, she screamed. "Okay! Okay!"  
  
"We have to tell him."  
  
"We'll tell him along with everyone else, he'll just be the first to know, so he's not too angry."  
  
"You realize someone's gonna be angry we didn't tell them."  
  
"Oh well, they'll live."  
  
Sirius grinned and kissed her.  
  
"Rose?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Will you marry me?"  
  
"Yes, Sirius, I will."  
  
He smiled and held her closer to him. She breathed in deeply, taking in everything she possibly could about him, then fell asleep in his arms. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
She got back to Hogwarts, and immediately went to find Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
"How was your break?" asked Harry.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Did you study?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Yes, I studied."  
  
Hermione nodded, she seemed content with her answer.  
  
"How's Padfoot?" asked Harry.  
  
"He's good. He says hi, and to give you this."  
  
She handed him a letter, and pulled one out for herself.  
  
"'This is for the two of you, for your sixteenth birthday, so I decided to send you two on a scavenger hunt, so you can have a little fun. Minerva and Remus have helped me out, considering my current circumstances. Have fun; I'll see you both this summer! Padfoot  
  
"'Your first clue is this: Rumor has it this way's blocked and full of rocks, too; here's where you'll find your second clue.' He's lost it."  
  
Rose laughed.  
  
"No, he's just bored."  
  
They all laughed a little.  
  
"What do you think it is?"  
  
"What's blocked? A corridor or something?"  
  
"Caved in, maybe? The fourth floor mirror."  
  
They laughed and went to it, and found their second clue.  
  
"'Go from here to there, his face is full of hair, this is where to go to next.'"  
  
"His face is full of hair?"  
  
"Hagrid," said Hermione.  
  
They started to head to Hagrid's Hut, but say Malfoy and company, and turned around. Back in the Common Room, Hermione sat to study some more. May rolled around and the final Quidditch match of the season was upon them: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Harry and Hermione walked Rose and Ron to the locker room. Rose was looking very pale, she'd been sick for the past month, and everyone was worried.  
  
"Rose, are you SURE you're fit to play today?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Whether I am or not, it's too late. I'm here, now."  
  
"But—,"  
  
"I don't want to hear it. All right, Ron, keep count of how many shots you block," Rose told him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"For everyone you block, I'll give you a kiss."  
  
He blushed.  
  
"Deal. And what if we win?"  
  
"That'll be on hell of a kiss."  
  
Harry and Hermione headed for the stands, and the match soon began. Ravenclaw scored first. Rose swore, and hit the Bludger at the Ravenclaw chaser, nearly knocking him off his broom.  
  
"Call a foul!" he shouted.  
  
"I'm SUPPOSED to do that, idiot! I'm a BEATER!" Rose screamed at him.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" shouted Lee.  
  
Davies glared at Rose, who smiled innocently. When she'd hit him with the Bludger, Angelina picked it up and scored. The Ravenclaws got it back, and Rose hit the Bludger at the other chaser, but she dodged it, and threw it.  
  
"Ravenclaw scores aga—OH MY GOD HE SAVED IT!" Lee shouted, silencing all verses of Weasley is Our King.  
  
Rose did a loop-the-loop in praise of Ron. He blushed. Gryffindor got the Quaffle back and scored, Ginny caught a glimpse of gold the exact second Cho did. Ginny dove for it, and Cho followed, seeing it, too. Rose hit the Bludger at the Ravenclaw chaser, but "missed" and it headed at Cho, who had to pull up to miss being hit. Ginny enclosed her hand around the Snitch. The Gryffindors cheered, singing a new song:  
  
"Weasley is our King, Weasley is our King, He didn't let the Quaffle in, Weasley is our King...  
  
Weasley can save anything, He never leaves a single ring. That's why Gryffindors all sing: Weasley is our King.  
  
Weasley is our King, Weasley is our King, He didn't let the Quaffle in, Weasley is our King..."  
  
Rose laughed as they all landed in the middle of the pitch. Rose walked over to Ron, grabbed the front of his Quidditch robes, and kissed him. All the Gryffindors cheered, and made cat-calls. They walked out of the Quidditch Pitch, Rose behind them all. She caught sight of Harry and Hermione.  
  
"We won!" said Rose.  
  
"Yeah!" said Harry, excitedly.  
  
"And where were you two?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.  
  
They explained to her about Grawp, and she agreed to help. O.W.L.s came upon them too soon. Rose sighed as she finished her Potions O.W.L. The professor smiled at her work, and she was allowed to leave. She walked up to the Common Room, and sat down, but immediately stood up.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Ron.  
  
"I'm bored." She ran up to the girls' dorms, grabbed her Invisibility Cloak, and sneaked into Harry's trunk, and took the Marauder's Map, pointed to it with her wand. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."  
  
It showed Hogwarts and its grounds, and she left Gryffindor Tower, and headed to Dumbledore's office. She looked around on the third floor, and saw Snape walking down the corridor. Suddenly he stopped, and looked around.  
  
"That's odd," he said.  
  
She hurried as quietly as she could to the stone gargoyle. She looked around, then at the Map. No one was around, except Snape, and he was practically on the stairs. She knocked on the gargoyle, and meowed. The gargoyle stepped to the side and a door opened on the floor, revealing stairs going down. She checked the map once more, and descended the stairs, taking off her Invisibility Cloak. Soon, she came upon a door, and knocked.  
  
"No need to knock, just go in," said a House Elf, running by.  
  
Rose opened the door, and saw a large room, drenched in red and gold. She half expected to see Godric Gryffindor jump out at her.  
  
"I see you followed my directions."  
  
Rose spun to her left and saw Dumbledore smiling at her from behind a particularly dodgy stack of books.  
  
"Well, boredom and curiosity got the better of me."  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat."  
  
"But the cat didn't have these."  
  
Rose held up the Marauder's Map and Invisibility Cloak. He smiled.  
  
"True, very true. How are Fred and George Weasley?"  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Good, they're at home with their mother. She was a little angry at them for leaving, but she doesn't blame them."  
  
His eyes sparkled.  
  
"How goes Occlumency?" he asked, looking over his glasses at her.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Good," she lied. "Professor Snape says we're all right now, we don't need him anymore."  
  
"I know what happened."  
  
Rose sighed, and sat down in a large, red chair.  
  
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Neither of you should have looked, that was private."  
  
"I know, and I said that."  
  
"I know. Rose, I know, more or less, everything that goes on in this castle."  
  
"That's a scary thought."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"I also know about after Professor Snape came back and Harry left."  
  
Rose blushed.  
  
"So, what's it like down here?" asked Rose, obviously changing the subject.  
  
His eyes twinkled.  
  
"It's quiet."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"I can imagine. No one bugging you... oh, sorry, did I interrupt you?"  
  
"Not at all. I was expecting you sooner, actually."  
  
"I didn't stay for Easter Break. I went to Sirius's."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You know, you could make yourself less... creepy if you didn't look at people like you're looking into their soul. I know what your doing, and you can just get out of my head, right now. You're far too nice of a man for me to corrupt."  
  
He laughed.  
  
"All right, Rose."  
  
"Thank you, because it freaks me out when you do that."  
  
"Are you prepared for your O.W.L. tests?"  
  
"Yes sir, I studied at Sirius's, and for the past three weeks, I DO share a HOUSE with Hermione Granger."  
  
"Yes, yes, Miss Granger is very prepared."  
  
"You mean Obsessive Compulsive, Anal Retentive and bossy."  
  
Dumbledore smiled slightly.  
  
"Is she really that bad?"  
  
"No, she's only managed to single-handedly force everyone in Gryffindor to study for exams. It's scary. She even managed to make me study and I NEVER study. I've never needed to, or really cared about it if I did."  
  
"Well, then I suppose her eagerness to study has had a positive effect."  
  
"No, everyone's miserable."  
  
He smiled, and the door opened. He pulled out his wand, Professor Snape walked in.  
  
"Potter! I've found you!" he said.  
  
"Where's Umbridge?" Rose asked.  
  
"How am I supposed to know?"  
  
Rose and Dumbledore both breathed, then Snape noticed the Headmaster.  
  
"That was close, I would have sworn she was stalking you."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," Snape managed.  
  
"Good for you, you can identify names and faces, congratulations."  
  
Dumbledore looked at her, telling her to be nice. She closed her mouth and sat back down. Snape was surprised.  
  
"Is this where you've been all this time?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded. Rose felt sick again. She looked up at Dumbledore.  
  
"Bathroom?"  
  
"Around the corner."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She stood and walked to the bathroom, and paid homage to the porcelain god. When she emerged she noticed both men watch her carefully. Snape looked confused, and Dumbledore looked happy. He knew about her and Sirius, he had to.  
  
"Feeling better?"  
  
"Not really, you?"  
  
"Much."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"How long have you been feeling like this?" asked Snape.  
  
"I dunno, a month or so."  
  
"You get sick like this often?"  
  
"Well, when I get sick, I get it as bad as it could possibly be. So it's not unusual that I'm sick for long periods of time."  
  
"Really? I've always thought of you as the 'I don't want to go to class, so I'll stay with Madame Pomfrey' kind of girl."  
  
Rose glared at him.  
  
"Surprisingly, I never skip class, if I were to skip any class yours, Professor Binns's and Professor Trelawney's would be at the top of my list, no doubt."  
  
"Rose, please retract your claws and have a seat."  
  
Rose looked at her watch.  
  
"Actually, Professor, I have to meet Harry."  
  
"Well, you go on then, and be careful, Miss Potter."  
  
She smiled widely and "innocently" showing all her teeth.  
  
"You know me!"  
  
She opened the door.  
  
"Which is why I said something."  
  
Rose laughed and left, putting on her cloak and checking the map. She headed directly to Gryffindor Tower, put her things away and went up to the Astronomy Tower and fell asleep in the sun.  
  
"Hey, hey Rose, wake up."  
  
Someone was poking her. She took a sleepy swing at them.  
  
"Watch it, Harry, a dangerous one that one is," she recognized Ron's voice  
  
She woke up and saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna staring at her, and it was night.  
  
"C'mon, Rose, we're going," said Harry.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"The Ministry, Sirius is in trouble."  
  
She stood up and ran behind them to the Forbidden Forest, and got on one of the thestrals, muttering about Umbridge being the bitch from hell. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
They reached the Ministry of Magic, and sneaked into the Department of Mysteries.  
  
"Harry, I don't think he's here," Rose whispered.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"I know Padfoot, he wouldn't let Voldemort take him alive."  
  
"You spend one week with him and you know so much!" snapped Harry.  
  
Rose slapped her brother.  
  
"Don't you dare do that again."  
  
Neville stood between the two of them, as they walked into a room with balls everywhere.  
  
"This is it," said Harry.  
  
Rose looked around warily.  
  
"He's not here."  
  
"What the hell makes you say that?" snapped Harry.  
  
She looked at him.  
  
"It's Malfoy."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sirius isn't here, but Malfoy is. I have a nose for cologne."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and continued down the rows, Ron stopped at row ninety-seven.  
  
"Harry!" called Ron.  
  
"Shh!" hissed Rose.  
  
Harry looked at the glass ball that Ron had found it read:  
  
SPT to APWBD Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter  
  
Harry reached to grab it.  
  
"Don't Harry," urged Neville.  
  
"It's got my name on," said Harry.  
  
"I'll be sure to put that on your headstone," hissed Rose.  
  
He glared at her and picked it up.  
  
"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me." They all turned and Ginny gasped. "To me, Potter."  
  
"I haven't got anything," said Rose.  
  
"Not you, Miss Potter, your brother."  
  
"Where's Sirius?"  
  
The Death Eaters laughed. Rose looked around them, they needed a plan. There was an empty shelf behind them. Rose was busy thinking of something when all of a sudden Harry shouted.  
  
"RUN!"  
  
They all ran, Rose crashing shelves behind her as they ran. Rose stayed close to Harry.  
  
"STUPEFY!" someone yelled.  
  
That's the last thing Rose knew. She opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Ron in the bed next to her.  
  
"Rose! You're all right!" exclaimed Neville.  
  
"Yeah," she said. "Where is everyone?"  
  
"Ginny's sending an owl to her mum, Hermione's gone to the lavatory and Luna's been out of the Hospital Wing," said Harry.  
  
Hermione returned hurriedly, because Madame Pomfrey was right behind her.  
  
"Hey Harry, did you get the clue from Hagrid's?"  
  
"Yea. Here's the next one: North, South, East, or West, Pick which is best. Not toward the lake, the forest or Hogsmeade, Up there the next clue you will read."  
  
"Well, the lake's south, Hogsmeade is west, and the forest is east, leaving north."  
  
"North Tower."  
  
"All right, you go get that one, and I'll be out soon, I hope."  
  
"Okay," he said, getting up to walk out.  
  
Something was bothering him, but hell if she knew what. Madame Pomfrey walked over to her, and gave her a quick check up.  
  
"You seem to be all right, but you'll have a bump on your head—."  
  
"Good, can I go?"  
  
"Yes—."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Rose jumped up and began getting dressed.  
  
"May I finish a sentence?" asked Madame Pomfrey, as Rose finished getting dressed.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Good. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, and try not to bump your head again. Other than that, you'll both be fine."  
  
Ginny walked into the Hospital Wing, and walked toward Rose.  
  
"Both? What do you mean 'both?'"  
  
Rose turned slowly and faced Madame Pomfrey, her face pale.  
  
"You're pregnant, Miss Potter."  
  
"I'm—!"  
  
Rose fainted.  
  
"Oh dear, I thought she knew."  
  
She managed to pull Rose back onto the bed, before waking her up.  
  
"Wha—?"managed Rose.  
  
"Congratulations!" said Ginny, hugging her.  
  
"I can't be p— p—p—p—."  
  
"Pregnant," said Madame Pomfrey.  
  
Rose put her head in her hands. Harry walked in.  
  
"Hey, can we talk?" he asked.  
  
"Yea, let's go."  
  
They walked out.  
  
"Erm, where shall we walk to?"  
  
"What's the new clue?"  
  
"'Don't look down, but up to the heavens, This place is on floor seven.'"  
  
"Heavens? On the Seventh floor?"  
  
"Astronomy Tower?"  
  
"Let's try, that'll give us some time to talk."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Everyone knows he's back. No more bad things about us in the paper," he said, suddenly.  
  
"That's good. What happened? I didn't even get a chance to fight, damn."  
  
He laughed hollowly. Now she knew something was wrong.  
  
"Yea, well, you're lucky."  
  
"Oh well, at least now maybe someone'll believe that Sirius is innocent."  
  
Harry looked away from her.  
  
"Oh, they'll believe us all right, but Rose, Sirius is d--,"  
  
They reached the Astronomy Tower.  
  
"No, he's not! He can't be! You're going to say 'dandy' or 'drunk' or something that does not involve a funeral!"  
  
"I wish I was. Sirius is dead."  
  
Rose's knees gave out and an envelope appeared next to her. She cried like that for a minute, then Harry knelt down and hugged her.  
  
"He—he—he can't!"  
  
"Well, he is, and there's nothing to be done about it."  
  
A thought occurred to Rose.  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
She broke away from her brother and ran. She thought instantly of the Room of Requirement. She 'required' things to throw, or possibly a place to cry in peace, she wasn't entirely sure, but she knew the room would know. As she reached the corridor, she nearly ran headlong into Dumbledore.  
  
"What, pray tell, are you running from, Miss Potter?"  
  
"My life."  
  
"Oh, yes, yes. Madame Pomfrey told me. Congratulations."  
  
"No, no, no! This is NOT a congratulatory thing! I've done something awful!"  
  
"Falling in love is a treasure. He loved you and you love him."  
  
"Wait! How did you know?"  
  
"Kreacher told me, said something about defiling the house by making the doings worse than those of the Order. He also said something about the noise," said Dumbledore, looking over his half moon glasses at her.  
  
She blushed to the roots of her hair.  
  
"But—."  
  
"Age matters not in love."  
  
"How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what, Miss Potter?"  
  
"Know what I'm thinking."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"It's a gift I have."  
  
"Well, try not to delve too deep into my head, you'll never speak my name again, if you do."  
  
"I think Harry should be told your news."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Rose sighed and headed back to the Common Room. Harry was sitting with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Seamus, Dean and Neville.  
  
"I've got the clue from the Astronomy Tower figured out," said Harry, sadly.  
  
"We'll do that later, Harry."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I've got some news. I'm not entirely sure if it's good or bad, yet. Ginny have you—?"  
  
"No, we were waiting for you," Ginny replied.  
  
Rose nodded and smiled her thanks.  
  
"Guys, I'm—er—I'm pregnant."  
  
"Well THAT explains why you were so sick," said Harry.  
  
He stood and hugged his sister.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'll have morning sickness for a while."  
  
Pig flew into the Common Room, running into random objects.  
  
"What will you name it if it's a girl?" asked Ginny, untying the letter from Pig's leg.  
  
"Lily something, but I'm praying for a boy."  
  
"And what will you name him?"  
  
"Sirius James, after two of the three most important men of our lives."  
  
"'Our?'" asked Seamus.  
  
"Mine and Harry's."  
  
"Who's the father?" asked Hermione, trying to sound cheerful.  
  
"Erm... well..."  
  
"You DO know, don't you?"  
  
"C'mon, Hermione, let her be happy! No nagging!" said Ron.  
  
"It's okay, Ron, she doesn't approve of anything I do, this just adds onto the list. Yes, Hermione, I know who the father is."  
  
"Who, then?" she demanded.  
  
McGonagall entered the Common Room, and enveloped Rose into a giant hug.  
  
"Congratulations!" she said, her eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Where are you staying this summer?"  
  
"With us," said Ginny, scanning the letter. "Mum says you're staying with us, whether you want to or not."  
  
Rose laughed a little.  
  
"Okay," she said.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office around four," said Professor McGonagall, then she left.  
  
Harry read the next clue to Rose.  
  
"'You've seen it once, been there twice, Snape's been beat up there thrice.'"  
  
"Beach tree," the twins said at the same time.  
  
They smiled a little and left the Common Room, headed in the direction of the beach tree, in silence. When they got there, Rose opened the white envelope at the base of the tree.  
  
"'She's a cat, then she's not, she needs to make up her mind! She's in here during the day, Go in there, so whadda ya say?' He was desperate for rhyming words."  
  
"Yea he was. Cat? McGonagall." Rose nodded and they headed for the Transfiguration Room, and found another clue. "'They answer to candy, and usually just dandy. The next step is there.'"  
  
"Candy? The gargoyles? Dumbledore's password is always a candy."  
  
"We can try," said Harry.  
  
They walked from the Transfiguration classroom, to Dumbledore's office, and found the next clue.  
  
"'Many things are accomplished here. Sing, change and cheer. The leader's accomplishment is the best. He stands up tall, and still can't see over the desk.' Charms classroom," she said.  
  
It would have been funny if they weren't thinking of Sirius. How was Rose going to tell Harry about them? They got there, and Harry read the clue.  
  
"'Ew, yuck! What's that awful stench? Surprisingly, not the French. You can't breathe here, or See clearly. You don't like this place, sincerely.' What place don't we like that stinks?"  
  
"Trelawney's?"  
  
"It fits." They headed up to her classroom, and saw another envelope stuck to her door. Harry got it down, and he read it. "Twinkle, twinkle little star, How I wonder which you are, Looking up at seven at night, Millions of candles are always alight.'"  
  
"Seven at night? We've all ready been to the Astronomy Tower, but class is usually over by then."  
  
"We're at dinner, in the Great Hall."  
  
They went all the way down to the ground floor, and saw another clue posted on the door. Rose sighed.  
  
"How many of these things are there? I'm getting tired."  
  
"We'll get this one, then break for today. 'Most of the year, Harry sleeps here.'"  
  
"This one's too easy. All of them kinda are. It's your room."  
  
"I'll get it, you take a nap before dinner."  
  
She nodded and they went back up to the Common Room, and Rose collapsed on her bed, asleep. At dinner that night, Harry showed her the next clue.  
  
"'Once a year you get on, once a year you get off. Under the sign you must look, before the Dursley's make you their cook.' King's Cross?"  
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
"We'll look tomorrow."  
  
Harry nodded and continued eating. The train ride home the next day was unusually quiet. Rose slept the entire time to keep from crying. When they reached Kings Cross, Rose saw the clue under the sign. She walked under it, and decided it was too high.  
  
"Ron! Can you get this for me? I'm too short!"  
  
He laughed.  
  
"Okay."  
  
He walked over, got on his toes, and reached it, and handed it to her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Harry walked over to her, and they read it together.  
  
"'You've run away to here, Never a place to fear. The innkeeper's got the note, He looks like an old billy goat.'"  
  
Remus burst out laughing. Harry and Rose looked at him as though he'd lost his mind, and neither blamed him if he had.  
  
"We used to call Tom an old billy goat, we thought he was an Animagus and that that was his animal form," he said, explaining to them.  
  
"Leaky Cauldron," said Rose.  
  
"We're going there now, so we can all get back to the Burrow," said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Then I'll get that clue, and call you, all right?"  
  
"How? The Weasley's don't have a phone," said Harry.  
  
"But I have a cell phone, smart one."  
  
"Oh, okay then."  
  
Rose rolled her eyes as they walked through the barrier. Harry gave her the Dursley's telephone number.  
  
"When shall I be expecting your call?" he said.  
  
"Don't be a smartass with me, the hormone's'll be kickin' in soon," she warned.  
  
He laughed, then he saw the Dursleys.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"I'll call you roundabout July thirty-first, since this IS our birthday present."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Mad Eye Moody, Mr. Weasley, Remus and Harry walked toward the Dursleys, Remus dragging Rose behind him.  
  
"Remus, be gentle with her!" scolded Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Cuz I'm pre mhmhast," Rose mumbled.  
  
"Do you remember your sister writing you news of the birth of her twins?" Remus asked Petunia.  
  
She nodded slightly.  
  
"Yes, the girl died or something, why?"  
  
"THIS is your niece."  
  
"Good to meet you," said Rose, holding out her hand.  
  
The three Dursleys looked at her hand, none of them moving to shake it. Rose looked at Remus, and then lowered her hand. She ducked behind Remus and went back to Mrs. Weasley. They left King's Cross, then went to the Leaky Cauldron, where they met up with Bill and Charlie.  
  
"Erm... Miss Potter?"  
  
Rose turned around and saw Tom.  
  
"Hi, Tom, how are you?"  
  
"Good, good. This is for you," he handed her an envelope.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She put it in her trunk and went on to the Burrow by way of Floo Powder.  
  
"Rose! Are you all right?" asked Ginny, as Rose landed on the floor of the Burrow.  
  
"Yes, I think so."  
  
Ginny smiled at Rose, who smiled sadly. Fred and George ran in, and meant to knock Rose over, but Ginny stepped in front of her.  
  
"No tackling of the mother- to-be!" Ginny scolded.  
  
Fred and George were both shocked.  
  
"M—m—m—m—wait! WHAT?" said Fred.  
  
George nearly fainted.  
  
Rose carried her things toward the stairs, but Fred and George took them from her and took them to Ginny's room, and Bill and Charlie took Ginny's things up.  
  
"Well, I've never seen Fred and George so eager to help," said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Well, Ginny said that I was pregnant, and they took my stuff up out of shock, I suppose," said Rose, walking up after them.  
  
"Hey, Rose, you get some rest, you've got a big day tomorrow."  
  
"Why? What's tomorrow?"  
  
"Sirius's funeral."  
  
Rose took a deep breath, then sighed.  
  
"God give me the strength."  
  
She went up the Ginny's room, and stared out the window for a while. The next day, Remus went to pick Harry up, then went to a London funeral home for the funeral. Rose, Harry and Remus sat in the front, Rose between the two, holding their hand. Harry sat and tried not to cry, but Rose just stared at the casket, and silent tears rolled down her face. She put her head on Harry's shoulder as Remus got up to say a few words. She tuned him out. She couldn't listen to it. She was going to die without Sirius, and yet only Dumbledore knew. She had told no one else who she'd been in love with. Remus sat down next to her, and everyone paid their final respects to Sirius, hugged Remus, Rose and Harry, and left. The Weasley's stayed in the back while Harry went up to the casket, and Rose stayed where she had been, clutching a few roses tightly, crying silently. Harry, and Remus both went to the back with the Weasleys, and Rose finally got up and walked to the casket. She studied his face. He was so white, and his lips were slightly turned up, a permanent grin on his face. She placed the roses in there with him. One red rose, one white rose, and four pink roses. The red one was for their love, that would never die, the white one was for their baby, and the four pink ones were for the four more he wanted, but would never have.  
  
"I love you, Sirius Black," she whispered as she turned around and walked away.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come to the gravesite?" asked Remus.  
  
"Very."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"All right."  
  
He kissed Rose on the top of her head, and hugged Harry. Harry went back to the Dursley's and Rose went home with the Weasleys. Rose changed into regular clothes and went someplace where she could be alone. She cried and cried, well into the night, and cursed Sirius for leaving her. Eventually, Charlie came out and carried her back into the house. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A week before their birthday, Rose called Harry, while trying to teach Ron about CDs.

"Hallo?" answered Vernon.

"Hello, Uncle Vernon, is Harry at home?" said Rose.

"Yes. Boy! Phone for you! Make it quick!"

"No, stupid, put it in the other way."

"What am I putting in?" asked Harry on the phone.

"No, I'm talking to Ron. Here's the next clue: 'Harry's had only his head in there, Where I keep butterbeer.' Oh dear Lord, no. It's his kitchen. Harry—I can't."

"Yes, you can, Rose. I miss him too, but you can't let that stop your life."

"But Harry, you don't understand—," tried Rose.

"I understand fine, you need to go and help you miss him less."

"No Harry—!"

"Rose, you're going, I'll write Ron and he'll carry you there if he has to."

"Harry!"

"What?"

"Sirius is the father of the baby!"

Harry dropped the phone, then quickly picked it up again.

"WHAT?!"

"Keep it down, boy!" Rose heard Vernon yell.

"That's what I've been TRYING to tell you. I couldn't write and tell you, because then you'd get mad, and I was afraid to tell you in person, so I'm telling you over phone."

"B—b—b—," stuttered Harry.

"Well, I'm off, Ron's taking my CDs. Bye, Harry."

She hung up, and sighed.

"No I'm not!" said Ron.

"I know, but I had to hang up."

Ron looked at her.

"That bad, huh?"

"He couldn't even speak! I knew he'd be angry."

She began to cry, and Ron hugged her, uncertainly. Eventually Fred and George saw their brother's lost expression, and saved him.

"Hey Rose, come with us," said George.

Rose looked up and got a grip. She stood up and they took her to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes with them.

"What do you think?" asked Fred.

"It's wonderful," she said, looking at all the pranks.

"You and Harry own a quarter of the company, each."

"Why?"

"Harry gave us the money, and you helped us invent some of our products," replied George.

Fred gave her a big hug from behind. She rested her hands on his arms that were draped around her shoulders.

"Wow, you guys, this is SO cool!"

They bowed.

"Why, thank you, Miss Potter," said Fred.

She laughed.

"I need that treatment more often," she said, joking.

The next day, Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Rose were sorting out baby gifts.

"So, who IS the father?" asked Ginny.

Rose looked at Mrs. Weasley.

"Well—I don't want you to think any less of me."

"Oh, Rose, dear, I all ready know. Dumbledore told me."

"Does that man not know how to keep a secret? Honestly!"

"Well, I suspected before that. I'd seen the way you two looked at one another, and I thought it was wonderful!"

"Really? You were the reason we didn't tell anyone! We were afraid you'd be angry."

"Who?" asked Ginny.

"Sirius," she said.

A week later, all eight of the Weasleys sneaked into Ginny's room, and sang Happy Birthday, quite loudly, waking her up. When they were done, she smiled at them.

"Fank oo," she said, yawning and stretching.

"You're welcome. Now, everyone out! Rose and Ginny need to get dressed!"

The girls got dressed and walked down to breakfast.

"Are you not going to open your presents?" asked Charlie.

"I'm going to open them with Harry," answered Rose.

"Morning all!" said Hermione, walking in the door.

"Morning Hermione," they all chorused.

"Happy Birthday, Rose."

"Thanks, Hermione, how're you?"

"I'm good, you?"

"I'm all right, but nausea sucks balls."

"Faerie Rose Potter!" scolded Mrs. Weasley.

"Sorry Mrs. Weasley."

The Weasley males laughed and snorted into their breakfast. Rose glared at them. An hour later she stood in front of the fireplace.

"Go on, Rose," said Mrs. Weasley.

Rose shook her head.

"I—I can't."

"I am under strict orders to carry you there if I have to," said Ron.

Rose took a deep breath, threw the Floo Powder into the fireplace, and she fell into the kitchen, where Remus was sitting at the table, smiling at her, Mundungus was sleeping in the chair in the corner, Jack McManaway, one of the other Aurors, was eating a sandwich, and the Weasleys and Hermione were sitting around talking.

"Well, when IS the due date?" Remus asked her.

"January something."

"Well, congrats."

She blushed.

"I told you at King's Cross."

"No, you muttered something I couldn't understand."

Jack laughed.

"Well, Remus, you need to listen closely, you have to KNOW everything Rose Potter says," he laughed.

Rose looked at him.

"Hi," she said, uncertainly.

He grinned.

"Hey, I'm Jack, we haven't been officially introduced," he walked over, his hand out.Rose shook his hand.

"I'm Anne," she said, seriously.

He looked taken aback.

"Eh?"

Her face broke out in a half grin.

"I'm joking. I felt as though I needed to introduce myself, but since you already knew who I was, it was pointless."

He laughed.

"You're funnier than people give you credit for."

"Thank you."

"I like her, Lupin, she's better than what you've been telling us for YEARS."

Rose laughed, as Ginny fell out of the fireplace, followed by Ron, then Hermione, the others Apperating into the kitchen.

"What things have you been saying, Moony?"

"Damn, not the nickname, she's dragging out the nickname," muttered Remus.

"Well?"

"Nothing, I was joking with him, he's always singing your praises, about how well behaved you are," Rose coughed, along with all the Weasleys, "how kind you are," Rose raised an eyebrow, "how smart you are," Rose cocked her head to the side and looked at Remus, "how funny you are, how mature you can be, how strong you are, according to Remus you can do no wrong," said Jack.

"You got one out of six. I am funny."

"Rose, I heard that Dumbledore's doubling up on prefects this year," said Remus, changing the subject.

"If I'm a prefect, heads will roll."

"God, if YOU were a prefect, we'd all DIE," said Hermione.

"Vote of confidence from the peanut gallery," said Rose, "Thank you, Hermione."

Around eleven, Petunia dropped Harry off, and he walked in and sat down across from Rose and opened the next clue. Rose watched as people bustled back and forth, obviously Sirius's house was still HQ. Kreacher glared at Rose.

"Stop looking at me like that, Kreacher."

"The half breed cannot tell Kreacher what to do. Kreacher had no master."

"Why haven't you died yet?"

Kreacher glowered at her and went to his bed.

"'My great, great- grandfather thinks I'm a loon, He's in this room,'" read Harry.

"Where's that?" asked Rose.

"Mine and Ron's room."

They made their way upstairs, no one really noticing how much quieter it was. Harry opened the door and saw the clue on his bed. He went over to it, and opened it.

"What's it say?"

"'I think we've gotten all the doxies out, those things might re-inhabit. In this room, face each other where the presents are, and grab it.' I think this is the final clue," said Harry.

"Good. That's a LOT of clues."

"Sixteen, because it's your sixteenth birthday," said Remus.

"Oh, well, is it the den?" asked Rose.

"No, it's the Drawing Room, I was complaining about missing some doxies there," said Mrs. Weasley.

They went into the Drawing Room and saw two chairs face each other, and Rose sat in one, and Harry in the other. Two large boxes appeared in front of them. They each took the box in front of them. Inside Rose's box was a jewelry box with a rose and lily intertwined in stained glass on the top, inside was jewelry and a note. 'Rose, these were your mother's, and they now belong to you.' There was also a set of keys, and a picture of her and Sirius from Spring Break, laughing. It took all she had not to cry. Harry received a woman's ring, a set of keys and a Quidditch set. The ring had a diamond in the middle, a canary diamond on one side, and a ruby on the other.

"What's the ring for?" asked Ron.

Harry read the note.

"It's an engagement ring given to the oldest Potter male to give to his fiancé. Says Dad gave it to Mum," he replied.

"And what are the keys for?" asked Ginny.

Harry read another note.

"One is for one eighty- five Godric's Hollow Way, and another is for what's in the driveway. One is for a summer home in Dover, a flat in London, and a storage room in London."

"The Knight Bus can take us," said Mr. Weasley.

They summoned the Knight Bus, and after a few stops they ended up outside of a huge mansion, in London. In the driveway was a motorcycle and a red convertible.

"Honestly! He didn't have to do that!"

Rose looked at the convertible, and saw yet another note. 'When it goes to another country, it changes accordingly.' She smiled. Rose and Harry made their way to the house, which looked like it had been demolished, then magically been put back together by magic, but hadn't gotten it quite right. Harry put the key in the keyhole.

"Drum roll, please," said Harry.

"Just open the bloody door!"

Rose rolled her eyes as Harry opened the door. Above them was a crest. A red background and a gold lion, with a Phoenix on its back, its wings spread, a serpent in the lion's mouth, underneath it was "Durus Sponte Supero." (The Strong Will Survive)

"That's something new," said Rose, sarcastically, causing everyone to laugh. "Well, now we know why Slytherin hates Gryffindor, it's our fault."

Harry laughed, and out came an ugly creature wearing a toga-looking thing.

"Master Potter? Mistress Potter?" it asked.

"Yes," said Harry, slowly.

"Holly at your service," she bowed deeply.

Rose recognized her as a House Elf.

"You have a House Elf?" asked Hermione.

"Don't start. My hormones are out of whack, don't start with me," warned Rose.

"Well, er... thanks, Holly," said Harry, uncertainly.

They walked away from Holly and explored the house. They walked up the stairs to the next floor, and walked to the end of the hall, where the master bedroom was, and next to it was a nursery. They all walked in and in frames, above two cribs were two cross-stitched fabrics. One said, 'Harry James July 31st 6lbs 8oz. 21"' underneath that was a broomstick and a Snitch. The other said, 'Faerie Rose July 31st 5lbs 9oz. 20"' and there was a broomstick and a bludger underneath that.

"Your mum was a Beater," explained Bill.

"Really?" asked Rose, absentmindedly.

"Yep, and a damn fine one at that, much like her daughter."

Rose smiled, as he bent over and put his chin on her shoulder, and his hands on her stomach, next to her own. Harry and Rose walked around the house a little, saw the rooms that would have been theirs, once they grew out of the nursery. And Rose looked around her parents' room longer than any other room. She stared at the rocking chair and hummed a little song.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"I don't know. It's just weird, not knowing all this time that I was who I was. At least you had that much."

He hugged her as she started crying again. Soon, they left, Rose and Harry driving their new vehicles to the Burrow. Ginny rode with Harry, and Ron, Mr. Weasley, Fred and George rode with Rose. It was dark when they left Potter Manor, so they wouldn't be seen as a flying car and motorcycle. When they reached the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them with dinner. After dinner, Rose and Harry opened their gifts. Ron gave Rose a ring, with a Celtic symbol on it, it was a three curved lines, made into an interwoven triangle, and a circle around it; he gave Harry a book on tips for being a good Auror. Hermione gave them both a book called Advanced Potions Made Easy, Ginny gave Rose maternity clothes, that still kept her in style; and she gave Harry new Quidditch armor; Fred and George gave both Harry and Rose pranks from their shop; Mrs. Weasley had knitted them hats and scarves for the upcoming winter; Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie gave Rose a ring with rubies encrusted all around it, and they gave Harry a big- screen TV for Potter Manor, where Harry and Rose would live beginning at summer holiday. That day, they received a letter from McGonagall asking them to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers for the upcoming school year, they readily accepted.

"Mrs. Weasley," said Rose, one night after dinner.

Ginny, Rose and Hermione were helping Mrs. Weasley clean up.

"Yes dear?"

"I don't think it's safe for you all here. I want to invite all of you to live at Potter Manor with Harry and me."

"We couldn't. That is for your family."

"You ARE our family. You have all but adopted us, and we cannot thank you enough. We love you all, and we want to continue being a family like this, even if Harry sticks out like a sore thumb, we want you to live with us."

"Well, what happens when you graduate?"

"We'll buy you the house next door."

Mrs. Weasley wasn't expecting that answer. She looked taken aback.

"We'll buy it for you right now, if you want us to," said Harry, leaning in the doorway.

Rose noticed his hair growing longer, and was now in his eyes a little, and Rose smiled as Ginny becoming slightly flushed, not too much to notice, but still flushed. Harry had become quite the looker.

"Quidditch does a body good," Rose whispered in Ginny's ear.

Ginny elbowed Rose in the ribs.

"Harry, Rose, we couldn't—," began Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes you could, and you will," said Rose.

"It's settled, then. You'll move in after we've gone back to school," said Harry, walking away.

"But—oh bother," said Mrs. Weasley.

"You can't get out of this one. You're moving in whether you want to or not," said Rose, going upstairs.


	13. Chapter 13

Superstition has gotten the better of me.


End file.
